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Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether evodiamine (EVO) could potentiate the antitumor activity of gemcitabine (GEM) in tongue cancer cells and determine its potential underlying mechanisms. Materials and methods: Human Tca8113 and CAL-27 tongue squamous carcinoma cell lines were treated with EVO and GEM in different sequences and doses, after which cell proliferation was measured. Drug interactions were analyzed using the Chou–Talalay method with CompuSyn software. Clonality, apoptosis, and migration were measured using the plate clone formation assay, annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining, Hoechst 33342 staining, and the wound-healing test. The activity of the nuclear factor kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B cell (NF-κB) p65 subunit and its downstream proteins was quantified by Western blotting. The effects of the drug combination in vivo were assessed using a CAL-27 heterotopic xenograft model. Results: EVO and GEM had synergistic effects on CAL-27 and Tca8113 cell lines in time- and concentration-dependent manners. Combination of drugs inhibited cell proliferation and migration and reduced the expression of NF-κB p65, B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and B cell lymphoma extra large (Bcl-xl) compared with the control and either drug alone. In vivo, combination treatment of the xenograft model with EVO and GEM led to a significant reduction in tumor volume growth and inhibited the activation of NF-κB p65 with no obvious adverse reactions. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that EVO may inhibit cancer cells by suppressing NF-κB activity, and in combination with GEM, it may increase the chemosensitivity of tongue squamous cancer cells, thereby improving the treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starter cultures of low-salt Chinese paocai were screened from 135 lactic acid bacteria ( LAB) by evaluating their antimicrobial activity and growth characteristics. Furthermore, the survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7, nitrite contents and sensory acceptability of the starter-fermented paocai were evaluated. LAB BC92, which was identified as Lactobacillus pentosus, was used as a starter culture to produce paocai. In comparison with naturally fermented paocai, the disappearance time of E. coli O157:H7 in starter-fermented paocai decreased from 5.29 to 3.82 days, and the maximum nitrite content decreased from 11.73 to 8.64 mg kg−1, and the nitrite reduction time decreased from 4 to 3 days. In addition, starter fermentations were able to accelerate the flavour formation and shorten the paocai ripening period. The paocai that was fermented naturally and fermented by BC92 all had good sensory acceptance, and no significant difference ( P > 0.05) was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding represents one of the most widely used metal joining processes in industry. It has been shown to generate a large majority of particles at the nanoscale and to have low mass emission rates when compared to other types of welding. Despite evidence that TIG fume particles may produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), limited data is available for the time course changes of particle-associated oxidative stress in exposed TIG welders. Methods: Twenty non-smoking male welding apprentices were exposed to TIG welding fumes for 60 min under controlled, well-ventilated settings. Exhaled breathe condensate (EBC), blood and urine were collected before exposure, immediately after exposure, 1 h and 3 h post exposure. Volunteers participated in a control day to account for oxidative stress fluctuations due to circadian rhythm. Biological liquids were assessed for total reducing capacity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) concentrations at each time point. A linear mixed model was used to assess within day and between day differences. Results: Significant increases in the measured biomarkers were found at 3 h post exposure. At 3 h post exposure, we found a 24 % increase in plasma-H2O2 concentrations ([95%CI: 4 % to 46 %], p = 0.01); a 91 % increase in urinary-H2O2 ([2 % to 258 %], p = 0.04); a 14 % increase in plasma-8-OHdG ([0 % to 31 %], p = 0.049); and a 45 % increase in urinary-8-OHdG ([3 % to 105 %], p = 0.03). Doubling particle number concentration (PNC) exposure was associated with a 22 % increase of plasma-8-OHdG at 3 h post exposure (p = 0.01). Conclusion: A 60-min exposure to TIG welding fume in a controlled, well-ventilated setting induced acute oxidative stress at 3 h post exposure in healthy, non-smoking apprentice welders not chronically exposed to welding fumes. As mass concentration of TIG welding fume particles is very low when compared to other types of welding, it is recommended that additional exposure metrics such as PNC are considered for occupational risk assessments. Our findings highlight the importance of increasing awareness of TIG welding fume toxicity, especially given the realities of welding workplaces that may lack ventilation; and beliefs among interviewed welders that TIG represents a cleaner and safer welding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and the bioactivity of the essential oil of Artemisia anomala, a traditional medicinal herb in China, were investigated. The composition of the essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectometry (GC–MS), and a total of 39 components representing 98.1% in this plant were identified. The main constituents were camphor (18.3%), 1, 8-cineole (17.3%), β-caryophyllene oxide (12.7%), and borneol (9.5%). The antimicrobial activities of the oil were separately evaluated against six micro-organisms, Bacillus cereus (CMCCB 63301), Micrococcus flavus (ATCC 14698), Escherichia coli (ATCC 11775), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), and a clinical-isolated strain Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the oil possessed inhibitory activity against B. cereus, M. flavus, E. coli, S. epidermidis, and S. aureus, among which the best inhibition was observed against B. cereus with a MIC of 0.313 μL/mL. The antiproliferative activities of the oil were assessed against four human tumor cell lines, A459 (human lung adenocarcinoma), BRO (human melanoma), MCF7 (human breast cancer), and PC3 (human prostate). The oil showed the ability to inhibit proliferation of human cancer cells. And the MCF7 cell line was the most sensitive to the oil with an IC50 of 0.09. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The central function of chloroplasts is to carry out photosynthesis, and its gene content and structure are highly conserved across land plants. Parasitic plants, which have reduced photosynthetic ability, suffer gene losses from the chloroplast (cp) genome accompanied by the relaxation of selective constraints. Compared with the rapid rise in the number of cp genome sequences of photosynthetic organisms, there are limited data sets from parasitic plants. Principal Findings/Significance: Here we report the complete sequence of the cp genome of Cistanche deserticola, a holoparasitic desert species belonging to the family Orobanchaceae. The cp genome of C. deserticola is greatly reduced both in size (102,657 bp) and in gene content, indicating that all genes required for photosynthesis suffer from gene loss and pseudogenization, except for psbM. The striking difference from other holoparasitic plants is that it retains almost a full set of tRNA genes, and it has lower dN/dS for most genes than another close holoparasitic plant, E. virginiana, suggesting that Cistanche deserticola has undergone fewer losses, either due to a reduced level of holoparasitism, or to a recent switch to this life history. We also found that the rpoC2 gene was present in two copies within C. deserticola. Its own copy has much shortened and turned out to be a pseudogene. Another copy, which was not located in its cp genome, was a homolog of the host plant, Haloxylon ammodendron (Chenopodiaceae), suggesting that it was acquired from its host via a horizontal gene transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatiles were distilled from leaves of three Bergenia species collected from Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet in western China and analyzed using GC/MS instrumentation. The contents of extractable volatiles varied substantially among the three species with B. crassifolia having approximately 0.05% dry wt (v/w), B. purpurscens 0.01% (v/w) and B. stracheyi 0.13% (v/w), respectively. In B. crassifolia, the main components were present as 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol (26.56%), hexadecanoic acid (16.06%), dodecanoic acid (9.99%), linalool (5.63%) and octadecadienoic acid (4.10%). In B. purpurascens, the main components were β-eudesmol (18.63%), phytol (14.50%), hexadecanoic acid (13.05%), n-nonacosane (9.19%) and 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol (7.52%). In B. stracheyi, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol was the dominant sort of volatile (52.71%), whereas detected major constituents included β-eudesmol (7.44%), damascenone (3.22%), caryophyllene (2.75%) and phytol (2.57%). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution‐processed perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for fabrication of semitransparent and tandem solar cells due to the bandgap tunability. In this work, cesium lead triiodide (CsPbI3) QDs are synthesized with a stable cubic phase and efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are fabricated using the ligand exchange technique. Monolayer graphene is grown by chemical vapor deposition technique and a dry process to transfer graphene on top of the device is developed. Based on this approach, an efficient inverted PSC is demonstrated with a high average visible transmittance (AVT). After optimization, PSCs based on silver and graphene electrodes with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 9.6% and 6.8% are achieved, respectively. Additionally, by tuning the thickness of the active layer, a PSC with PCE of 4.95% and AVT of 53% is demonstrated, indicating the potential of CsPbI3 QDs for the fabrication of semitransparent devices applicable in windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Elsholtzia, as a folk medicine, has been widely used in Miao, Yi, and Lahu nationalities and Tibetan and Chinese medicines in China. We aimed to elucidate the possible mechanisms of action of flavonoids of Elsholtzia densa Benth. (FIE) on apoptosis in HeLa human cervical cancer cells in vitro. Methods: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to detect the chemical constituents responsible for the effects of FIE. Network pharmacology was employed to predict the active constituents and their targets to explore the mechanism of action of FIE in treating cervical cancer. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and the mitochondrial membrane potential were detected in HeLa cells treated with FIE. RT-PCR assays quantified the expression of apoptosis-related genes. Results and Discusssion: A total of 36 and 109 components were identified by GC-MS and LC-MS, respectively. Six active components, including 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone, baicalein, cirsimaritin, epicatechin, luteolin, and 5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy2-phenylchromen-4-onem, were predicted by network pharmacology. The active components may affect the proliferation and apoptosis of HeLa cells through various cancer pathways, such as NF-kB and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. FIE significantly inhibited colony formation in HeLa cells. We observed an increase in the total population of apoptotic cells and ROS content in HeLa cells. Further, the mitochondrial membrane potential of HeLa cells was significantly decreased. In HeLa cells, the expression levels of apoptosis-related genes, such as cytochrome C, caspase-3, caspase-9, and bax, were increased, while that of bcl-2 was decreased. Moreover, the ultrastructure of the cells exhibited apoptotic characteristics. Numerous vacuoles and the autophagic structure of the damaged mitochondrial organelles were observed in the cytoplasm of HeLa cells. Conclusions: Flavonoids of Elsholtzia densa Benth. showed clear inhibitory activity in HeLa cells and induced HeLa cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial endogenous apoptotic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cremastra appendiculata polysaccharide (CAP) exhibits potential anti-aging and stress resistance effects. In this study, we investigated the structure, antioxidant properties, and mechanism of action of CAP in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results showed that CAP primarily comprises mannose and glucose and exerts antioxidant activity in vitro. In vivo , CAP prolonged the lifespan of C. elegans in a concentration-dependent manner, with 2.0 mg/mL CAP prolonging the lifespan by 39.97 %. Compared with the control, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) antioxidant enzymes increased by 46 % and 57 %, respectively. However, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents decreased by 38 % and 19.92 %, respectively, at the same CAP concentration, oxidative and heat stress resistance increased. The target genes of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, daf-16 , sod-3 , ctl-1 , and hsp-16.2 , were activated by CAP; their mRNA expression levels were upregulated by 7.23 %, 69.78 %, 43.62 %, and 58.62 %, respectively. A transgenic worm assay indicated that CAP regulates the lifespan of C. elegans through daf-16. These results suggest that CAP improves stress resistance and prolongs the lifespan of C. elegans through daf-16 in the insulin/IGF signaling pathway. [Display omitted] • Cremastra appendiculata polysaccharides (CAP) delay aging of Caenorhabditis elegans. • CAP also prolongs the lifespan of C. elegans. • CAP increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes in C. elegans. • CAP increases the resistance of C. elegans to oxidative and heat stress. • CAP exerts anti-aging effects mainly through insulin pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a pathogenic foodborne bacterium of public health concern. A simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly method was developed to synthesise papain-modified gold nanoclusters (papain@AuNCs). Following this, aptamers-modified papain@AuNCs (aptamers@papain@AuNCs) were constructed by reacting Au–S covalent bonds between thiolated aptamers and the papain@AuNCs, enhancing the peroxidase activity. E. coli O157:H7 could be captured through the aptamer@papain@AuNCs, significantly improving the catalytic activity toward the peroxidase substrate 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine, and the blue products could be generated. Papain was used for the first time as a template for the synthesis of AuNCs of peroxidase-like activity for detection. The quantitative detection for E. coli O157:H7 was 39 cfu mL−1 in pure culture. The detection limit of E. coli O157:H7 was 5.6 × 102, 5 × 102 and 4.9 × 102 cfu mL−1 in ultra-high temperature sterilised, pasteurised, and raw milk samples, respectively, after 2 h pre-incubation, indicating that the developed sensor has potential for pathogen detection in foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reduction of these pesticides mainly affected by the residuals and immersion time. • Efficiency of ultrasonic processing mainly depends on pesticides types and treating-time. • Molecular docking was used to elucidate the interaction between pesticide lettuce leaves. • Machine leaning was aided causal inference for carbamates and pyrethroid reducing. This study explores the reduction of carbamates (CAs) and pyrethroids (PYs) − commonly used pesticides − in lettuce using various immersion solutions and ultrasonic processing. It also examines the role of machine learning and molecular docking in understanding the mechanisms of pesticide reduction. The results revealed that the highest reduction of both CAs and PYs exceeded 80 % on lettuce leaves. In most samples, the reduction increased with the power of ultrasonic processing and processing time. The results of machine learning models (XGBoost and SHAP) showed that during the immersion cleaning of CAs and PYs, as well as during both immersion cleaning and ultrasonic processing of CAs + PYs, the reduction was most influenced by the initial pesticide levels and immersion time. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of lettuce's wax layer identified 24 compounds, including fatty alcohols, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, and triterpenoids. Despite the absence of active sites, the lipophilic nature of long-chain aliphatic compounds aids in pesticide binding, while triterpenoids form strong hydrogen bonds with pesticides, indicating a robust adsorption on the lettuce surface. This study aims to offer insights into the efficient removal of chemical pesticide residues from fruits and vegetables, addressing critical concerns for food safety and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrethroid residues in vegetables pose a challenge for household food processing. This study introduced Bacillus cereus GW-01, a pyrethroid-degrading bacterium, into Sichuan Paocai (SCP) fermentation. The study investigated the reduction of β-cypermethrin (β-CY), fenpropathrin (FNP), and λ-cyhalothrin (LCT) residues, alterations in metabolic profiles, and shifts in bacterial communities. Over fermentation, concentrations of β-CY, FNP, and LCT decreased. Notably, compared to the control, GW-01 proliferated in SCP, and the sample with GW-01 exhibited an enhanced degradation of β-CY, FNP, and LCT by 26.14%, 36.32%, and 33.70%, respectively. GW-01 presence lead to significant increases in volatile flavor components (VFC), organic acids (OA) including tartaric acid and succinic acid, and free amino acids (FAA) including Asn, Glu, Lys, and Pro after 7 days. The relative abundance of Bacillus in the group inoculated with GW-01 was higher than control, and the probiotics including Leuconostoc , Latilactobacillus , Brochothrix , Weissella , Lactobacillus , and Lactococcus , experienced a remarkable upsurge, reaching their zenith on the 7th day. Compared to CK, intriguing pathways such as bacterial chemotaxis, benzoic acid family, and mineral adsorption were additionally enriched in groups exposed to GW-01 and pyrethroids. The study's aim is to provide insights for reducing pesticide residues and enhancing fermented food quality. • Colony-forming unit of GW-01 and microbial community in SCP was increased. • Pyrethroid degradation at least increased by 26% after inoculation with GW-01 in SCP. • GW-01 increased the volatile flavor component, organic and free amino acids of SCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta-cypermethrin (β-CYP) consists of four chiral isomers, acting as an environmental estrogen and causing reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and dysfunctions in multiple organ systems. This study investigated the toxic effects of β-CYP, its isomers, metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), and 17β-estradiol (E2) on HTR-8/SVneo cells. We focused on the toxic mechanisms of β-CYP and its specific isomers. Our results showed that β-CYP and its isomers inhibit HTR-8/SVneo cell proliferation similarly to E2, with 100 μM 1S-trans-αR displaying significant toxicity after 48 h. Notably, 1S-trans-αR, 1R-trans-αS, and β-CYP were more potent in inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest than 1R-cis-αS and 1S-cis-αR at 48 h. AO/EB staining and flow cytometry indicated dose-dependent apoptosis in HTR-8/SVneo cells, particularly at 100 μM 1R-trans-αS. Scratch assays revealed that β-CYP and its isomers variably reduced cell migration. Receptor inhibition assays demonstrated that post-ICI 182780 treatment, which inhibits estrogen receptor α (ERα) or estrogen receptor β (ERβ), β-CYP, its isomers, and E2 reduced HTR-8/SVneo cell viability, whereas milrinone, a phosphodiesterase 3 A (PDE3A) inhibitor, increased viability. Molecular docking studies indicated a higher affinity of β-CYP, its isomers, and E2 for PDE3A than for ERα or ERβ. Consequently, β-CYP, its isomers, and E2 consistently led to decreased cell viability. Transcriptomics and RT-qPCR analyses showed differential expression in treated cells: up-regulation of Il24 and Ptgs2 , and down-regulation of Myo7a and Pdgfrb , suggesting the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway as a potential route for toxicity. This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the cytotoxicity of chiral pesticides and their mechanisms. [Display omitted] • 1S-trans-αR, 1R-trans-αS cause higher apoptosis in HTR-8/SVneo cells. • The isoforms of β-CYP show varied effects on cell migration and cycle. • β-CYP binds to PDE3A more than ER receptors, affecting cell viability. • 1R-trans-αS and 1S-trans-αR more potent than β-CYP in cellular impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root traits are fundamental characteristics of belowground ecosystems that regulate plant growth and drive ecosystem functioning. Nevertheless, the way root traits respond to environmental factors and consequently influence productivity remains unexplored on large geographic scales. We examined the root traits of exotic Spartina alterniflora and native Phragmites australis across China's coastal salt marshes. Using structural equation models (SEMs), we quantified the direct and indirect effects of mean annual temperature, soil nutrients (e.g., soil dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus), and root traits on aboveground net primary productivity. Our results showed that root traits of S. alterniflora were more sensitive to changing soil nutrient availability than those of P. australis. The SEMs indicated that soil nutrient availability increased S. alterniflora productivity by increasing root nitrogen concentration and root length density. In P. australis, temperature could increase productivity by both increasing root length density and soil nutrient-mediated root nitrogen concentration. The studied root architectural trait (root length density) and nutrient trait (root nitrogen concentration) were effective in predicting productivity, whereas none of the root morphological traits (i.e., specific root length, root tissue density, and root diameter) significantly affected productivity. We provide the first empirical evidence that root trait-based responses modulate the effects of climate and soil nutrients on geographic variation in vegetation productivity, but these effects are species specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial degradation of pesticide residues has the potential to reduce their hazards to human and environmental health. However, in some cases, degradation can activate pesticides, making them more toxic to microbes. Here we report on the β-cypermethrin (β-CY) toxicity to Bacillus cereus GW-01, a recently described β-CY degrader, and effects of antioxidants on β-CY degradation. GW-01 exposed to β-CY negatively affected the growth rate. The highest maximum specific growth rate (μ m) appeared at 25 mg/L β-CY. β-CY induced the oxidative stress in GW-01. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalyse (CAT), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were significantly higher than that in control (p < 0.01); but they are decreased as growth phase pronged, which is contrary to the β-CY degradation by GW-01 cells obtaining from various growth phase. Ascorbic acid (Vc), tea polyphenols (TP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) improved the degradation through changing the physiological property of GW-01. TP and AMP prompted the expression of gene encoding β-CY degradation in GW-01, while Vc does the opposite. Biofilm formation was significantly inhibited by β-CY, while was significantly enhanced by certain concentrations of TP and AMP (p < 0.05); while cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) was negatively associated with β-CY concentrations from 25 to 100 mg/L, and these 4 antioxidants all boosted the CSH. Cells grown with β-CY had lower levels of saturated fatty acids but increased levels of some unsaturated and branched fatty acids, and these antioxidants alleviated the FA composition changes and gene expression related with FA metabolism. We also mined transcriptome analyses at lag, logarithmic, and stationary phases, and found that β-CY induced oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to elaborate characteristics in relation to the microbial resistance of pesticide poisoning and the efficiency of pesticide degradation, and to provide a promising method for improving pesticide degradation by microbes. • Antioxidants alleviated the damage in degrading-strain caused by β-CY. • Antioxidants promote pesticide degradation by reducing pesticide toxicity. • Antioxidants broken the balance between pesticide poisoning and microbial degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large animals including waterbirds are traditionally considered passengers in wetland ecosystems and used as indicator, flagship or umbrella species in wetland conservation, but whether they are drivers of wetland ecosystem patterns and dynamics is poorly understood. Combining a field experiment in a tidal flat in the Yangtze estuary and a global meta-analysis, we tested the hypothesis that waterbirds exert top-down control on wetland macrofauna. Waterbird exclusion more than doubled the abundance of grazing crabs in our field experiment but did not affect other macrofauna. Conversely, excluding grazing crabs to simulate above-current levels of waterbird predation increased macrofauna abundance and biomass and decreased their diversity, ostensibly by allowing the establishment of habitat-engineering plants otherwise eliminated by crab grazing. Meta-analysis of 135 tests revealed that waterbirds had negative, positive, or neutral effects on macrofauna, with an overall significantly negative effect. This finding was evident across different seasons, wetland types and macrofauna classes and was largely based on tests from coastal rather than inland wetlands in Europe and Americas and none in Asia and Australasia. Our results suggest that the roles of waterbirds in wetlands are more diverse and profound than currently recognized and that their driver roles in shaping wetland ecosystems warrant incorporation into conservation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constipation, a widespread gastrointestinal disorder, often leads to the exploration of natural remedies. This study examines the efficacy of Golden Flower Tibetan Tea Polysaccharides (GFTTPs) in alleviating constipation in mice. Chemical analyses reveal that GFTTPs possess O-H, carboxyl, carboxylic acid (-COOH), and C-O-C groups, alongside a porous crystal structure with thermal stability. In animal experiments, GFTTPs significantly upregulated aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and aquaporin 8 (AQP8) expressions in the colon, enhancing water absorption and reducing fecal water content. At a 400 mg/kg dosage, GFTTPs notably improved colonic tissue alterations and serum levels of excitatory neurotransmitters caused by loperamide hydrochloride. They also beneficially altered gut microbiota, increasing Coprococcus , Lactobacillus , and Pediococcus populations. These changes correlated with improved stool frequency, consistency, and weight in constipated mice. Importantly, GFTTPs at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses exhibited comparable effects to the normal control group in key parameters, such as gastrointestinal transit rate and fecal moisture. These findings suggest that GFTTPs may serve as a potent natural remedy for constipation, offering significant therapeutic potential within the context of gut health and with promising implications for human applications.

Introduction: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an increasingly common disease, causing significant complications for patients. Trimetazidine (TMZ) not only improves clinical symptoms in PAD patients but also facilitates angiogenesis in ischemic hind limbs. Our aim was to find the function of TMZ in promoting angiogenesis and tissue perfusion in ischemic rat skeletal muscle. Methods: The rats underwent femoral artery ligation (FAL) and then treated with TMZ and saline. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome stain in the ischemic gastrocnemius muscle to analyze muscle morphology and atrophy. To identify angiogenesis and the tissue perfusion, CD31 immunohistochemical staining and laser speckle contrast imaging was conducted. Additionally, hind limb motor ability was measured. Finally, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to statistically analyze the expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF. Results: Our study demonstrated significant enhancement in angiogenesis and tissue perfusion after FAL when treated with TMZ compared to the saline group. Histologically, it mitigates ischemia-induced muscle atrophy and inflammation, as well as reduces fibrosis progression in the TMZ group. Additionally, hind limb motor ability improved in rats treated with TMZ during motor experiments. Discussion: It suggests that TMZ can promote angiogenesis and improve tissue perfusion in ischemic skeletal muscle of rats by activating the HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway. Additionally, it leads to significant improvement in ischemia-induced motor limitations in the hind limbs of rats., 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 Pan, Mai, He, Yang, Wu, Zhao, Liu and Li.)

Pyrethroids (PYs) are widely applied pesticides whose residues pose potential health risks. This review describes current knowledge on PY chemical properties, usage patterns, environmental and food contamination, and human exposure models. It evaluates life cycle assessment (LCA), chemical alternatives assessment (CAA), and high-throughput screening (HTS) as tools for pesticide policy. Despite efforts to mitigate PY presence, their pervasive residues in the environment and food persist. And the highest concentrations ranged from 54,360 to 80,500 ng/L in water samples from agricultural fields. Food processing techniques variably reduce PY levels, yet no method guarantees complete elimination. This review provides insights into the fates and exposure pathways of PY residues in agriculture and food, and highlights the necessity for improved PY management and alternative practices to safeguard health and environment., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the characteristics of children and adolescents with borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) and evaluate the efficacy and safety of fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) in these patients., Methods: Patients with BOTs younger than 20 years who underwent FSS were included in this study., Results: A total of 34 patients were included, with a median patient age of 17 (range, 3-19) years; 97.1% (33/34) of cases occurred after menarche. Of the patients, 82.4% had mucinous borderline tumors (MBOTs), 14.7% had serous borderline tumors (SBOTs), and 2.9% had seromucinous borderline tumor (SMBOT). The median tumor size was 20.4 (range, 8-40)cm. All patients were at International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I and all underwent FSS: cystectomy (unilateral ovarian cystectomy, UC, 14/34, 41.2% and bilateral ovarian cystectomy, BC, 1/34, 2.9%), unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (USO; 18/34; 52.9%), or USO + contralateral ovarian cystectomy (1/34; 2.9%). The median follow-up time was 65 (range, 10-148) months. Recurrence was experienced by 10 of the 34 patients (29.4%). One patient with SBOT experienced progression to low-grade serous carcinoma after the third relapse. Two patients had a total of four pregnancies, resulting in three live births. The recurrence rate of UC was significantly higher in MBOTs than in USO (p = 0.005). The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 67.1%, and the 5-year overall survival rate was 100%., Conclusions: Fertility-sparing surgery is feasible and safe for children and adolescents with BOTs. For patients with MBOTs, USO is recommended to lower the risk of recurrence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In the post-pandemic era, medical resources are uneven, and access to healthcare is complicated. Online medical platforms have become a solution to bridge the information gap and reduce hospital pressure. This study uses the stereotype content model and signaling theory to explore the impact of patient perception of patient decision making (PDM) on online medical service platforms. Also, it tests the moderating effect of physician image. We collected information on 12,890 physicians and 746,981 patient reviews from online medical platforms in China. Unsupervised machine learning was used to construct a topic model to extract patients' perceptions of physicians' competence and warmth. Meanwhile, the facial features of physicians, such as age, smile, and glasses, are recognized by convolutional neural networks. Finally, the influence of PDM concern on decision-making and the moderating effect of physician image were analyzed by multiple linear regression. The results of the study showed that (1) patients' perceptions of physicians' competence and warmth had a positive effect on decision-making; (2) physicians' age and wearing glasses enhanced the positive effect of perception on decision-making; and (3) however, physicians' smiles weakened the positive effect of perception on decision-making. This study provides new insights into patients' online physician selection, guides the construction and promotion of medical service platforms, and provides an effective avenue of exploration to alleviate the problem of uneven distribution of offline medical resources., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Autologous lipotransfer is an essential component of soft tissue reconstruction. However, it is not widely applied or accepted by surgeons due to its unstable survival rate and uncertain efficacy. The cell-assisted fat transfer (CAL) is a promising technique that increases the fat survival rate. However, it is controversial based on various clinical studies. Here, we assessed the fat survival and complication rates of CAL, compared to the conventional autologous lipotransfer. To conduct our research, two reviewers independently screened related articles published in Medicine (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The combined effect estimates for efficacy evaluation was performed by the Review Manager software (RevMan 5.4.1). In total, 14 articles were included in our analysis (n = 722). Based on our analysis, the survival rate of the fat graft in CAL was significantly higher than the conventional fat grafting group (non-CAL group) (SMD = 2.81, 95%CI [1.54, 4.08], P < 0.01). In the subgroup, the fat retention of CAL in the facial filling was higher than the conventional one (SMD = 3.01, 95%CI [1.68, 4.33], P < 0.01). After breast augmentation, however, the difference between the experimental and control group was not statistically significant (SMD = 1.80, 95%CI [-0.31, 3.91], P = 0.09). Moreover, the CAL group exhibited comparable complications as the non-CAL group. Based on our analysis, the CAL group was significantly better than the conventional lipotransfer in terms of fat survival, particularly, during facial filling. However, it failed to reduce the complication rate, compared to the non-CAL group., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors whose names are listed above certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest, or nonfinancial interest in the subject matter., (Copyright © 2022 Asian Surgical Association and Taiwan Robotic Surgery Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The development of novel wound dressings with highly effective antibacterial and accelerating wound healing properties has become the focus of current research. In this study, a novel and injectable lactoferrin (LF)/lithium magnesium silicate hydrogel (LMSH) was first synthesized through a simple electrostatic interaction method. The physical and biological properties are systematically characterized. The results show that the synthesized LF/LMSH has good antibacterial properties and biocompatibility. More importantly, it can effectively promote wound healing in the rat full-thickness skin wound model after 14 days post-operation, and the healing rate can reach 99.1 %, which is much higher than that of other groups. Meanwhile, histochemical and immunofluorescent staining confirm that the prepared injectable LF/LMSH has good pro-collagen deposition, pro-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. The healed wounds present a consistently thickened epidermis with more follicular and glandular structures, indicating the great potential of the prepared material for wound management., 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.)

Pyrethroid residues in food and the environment can be bio-transformed into 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA); It is more toxic than the parent compounds, and has been detected in milk, soil, and human urine. In this study, when incubated at 30 °C and 180 rpm for 48 h, mycelial pellets during logarithmic growth phase were obtained and washed 2 times by phosphate buffer. The cell debris solutions and filter liquor from inducible and non-inducible samples were cultured with 3-PBA and its intermediate metabolites at same condition, and the location and induction of enzymes were analyzed by the degradation. Then Cytochrome P450 (CYP450), lignin peroxidase (LiP), laccase, manganese peroxidase (MnP), and dioxygenase were selected as candidate enzymes due to these oxidases existing in the fungi and capable of degrading the contaminants with similar structures of these compounds, and CuSO 4 , NaN 3 , AgNO 3 , EDTA or piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were used as the enzymes inhibitors and inducers. The degradation of 3-PBA and its intermediate metabolites and the fungal biomass in presence of enzymes inhibitors and inducers was arranged to analyze the possible degrading-enzymes, and the co-metabolic enzymes and pathways can be reasoned. This study provided a promising method for studying the co-metabolic enzymes of 3-PBA degradation by fungi. •The presented MethodsX was conducted for co-metabolic enzymes and pathways of 3-PBA degradation.•The culturing condition for presenting enzyme properties were investigated.•The candidate enzymes were analyzing based on location, induction of enzymes, fungal enzyme systems and chemical structures of these compounds., (© 2019 The Author(s).)