Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 203 in total

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  1. Proteomic profile of edible bird's nest proteins
    Liu X, Lai X, Zhang S, Huang X, Lan Q, Li Y, et al.
    J Agric Food Chem, 2012 Dec 26;60(51):12477-81.
    PMID: 23214475 DOI: 10.1021/jf303533p
    Edible bird's nest (EBN) is made of the swiftlets' saliva, which has attracted rather more attention owing to its nutritious and medical properties. Although protein constitutes the main composition and plays an important role in EBN, few studies have focused on the proteomic profile of EBN. The purpose of this study was to produce a proteomic map and clarify common EBN proteins. Liquid-phase isoelectric focusing (LIEF) was combined with two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) for comprehensive analysis of EBN proteins. From 20 to 100 protein spots were detected on 2-DE maps of EBN samples from 15 different sources. The proteins were mainly distributed in four taxa (A, B, C, and D) according to their molecular mass. Taxa A and D both contained common proteins and proteins that may be considered another characteristic of EBN. Taxon A was identified using MALDI-TOF-TOF/MS and found to be homologous to acidic mammalian chitinase-like ( Meleagris gallopavo ), which is in glycosyl hydrolase family 18.
  2. Fulltext The rationale and design of the Micra Transcatheter Pacing Study: safety and efficacy of a novel miniaturized pacemaker
    Ritter P, Duray GZ, Zhang S, Narasimhan C, Soejima K, Omar R, et al.
    Europace, 2015 May;17(5):807-13.
    PMID: 25855677 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euv026
    Recent advances in miniaturization technologies and battery chemistries have made it possible to develop a pacemaker small enough to implant within the heart while still aiming to provide similar battery longevity to conventional pacemakers. The Micra Transcatheter Pacing System is a miniaturized single-chamber pacemaker system that is delivered via catheter through the femoral vein. The pacemaker is implanted directly inside the right ventricle of the heart, eliminating the need for a device pocket and insertion of a pacing lead, thereby potentially avoiding some of the complications associated with traditional pacing systems.
  3. Piper sarmentosum Roxb.: A review on its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities
    Sun X, Chen W, Dai W, Xin H, Rahmand K, Wang Y, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2020 Dec 05;263:112897.
    PMID: 32620264 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112897
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal plant widely distributed in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and the southeastern coastal areas of China including Fujian, Guangdong, and Guizhou. It has been used for centuries for the treatment of wind-cold cough, fever, rheumatism arthralgia, diarrhea dysentery, postpartum foot swelling, stomachache, toothache, diabetes, and traumatic injury.

    AIMS OF THE REVIEW: To critically anayze the literature for the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and clinical trials of P. sarmentosum in order to provide a scientific consensus for further research and discovery of potential candidate drugs.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: The contents of this review were sourced from electronic databases including PubMed, SciFinder, Web of Science, Science Direct, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Chinese Knowledge On frastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Chinese Scientific and Technological Periodical Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), Cochrane Controlled register of Clinical Trials, Clinical Trials. gov, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Chinese medicine books published over the years were used to elucidate the traditional uses of P. sarmentosum and additional information was also collected from Yao Zhi website (https://db.yaozh.com/).

    RESULTS: Phytochemical analyses of the chemical constituents of P. sarmentosum include essential oil, alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, and steroids. The literature supports the ethnomedicinal uses of P. sarmentosum for the treatment of cold, gastritis, and rheumatoid joint pain, and further confirms its relatively new pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, and antipyretic activities. Other biological roles such as anti-osteoporosis, antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-atherosclerotic, and hypoglycemic activities have also been reported. However, the methodologies employed in individual studies are limited.

    CONCLUSIONS: There is convincing evidence from both in vitro and in vivo studies supporting the traditional use of P. sarmentosum and it is imperative that natural bioactive compounds are examined further. More efforts should be focused on the pharmacodynamic constituents of P. sarmentosum to provide practical basis for quality control, and additional studies are needed to understand the mechanism of their action. Further studies on the comprehensive evaluation of medicinal quality and understandings of serum chemistry, multi-target network pharmacology, and molecular docking technology of P. sarmentosum are of great importance and should be considered.

  4. Innovative hydrolysis of corn stover biowaste by modified magnetite laccase immobilized nanoparticles
    Gou Z, Ma NL, Zhang W, Lei Z, Su Y, Sun C, et al.
    Environ Res, 2020 09;188:109829.
    PMID: 32798948 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109829
    Intensive studies have been performed on the improvement of bioethanol production by transformation of lignocellulose biomass. In this study, the digestibility of corn stover was dramatically improved by using laccase immobilized on Cu2+ modified recyclable magnetite nanoparticles, Fe3O4-NH2. After digestion, the laccase was efficiently separated from slurry. The degradation rate of lignin reached 40.76%, and the subsequent cellulose conversion rate 38.37% for 72 h at 35 °C with cellulase at 50 U g-1 of corn stover. Compared to those of free and inactivated mode, the immobilized laccase pre-treatment increased subsequent cellulose conversion rates by 23.98% and 23.34%, respectively. Moreover, the reusability of immobilized laccase activity remained 50% after 6 cycles. The storage and thermal stability of the fixed laccase enhanced by 70% and 24.1% compared to those of free laccase at 65 °C, pH 4.5, respectively. At pH 10.5, it exhibited 16.3% more activities than its free mode at 35 °C. Our study provides a new avenue for improving the production of bioethanol with immobilized laccase for delignification using corn stover as the starting material.
  5. Conversion and transformation of N species during pyrolysis of wood-based panels: A review
    Xu D, Yang L, Zhao M, Zhang J, Syed-Hassan SSA, Sun H, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2021 Feb 01;270:116120.
    PMID: 33341552 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116120
    Understanding the migration and conversion of nitrogen in wood-based panels (WBPs) during pyrolysis is fundamentally important for potentially transforming the N-containing species into valuable material-based products. This review firstly summarizes the commonly used methods for examining N evolution during the WBPs pyrolysis before probing into the association between the wood and adhesives.The potential effects of wood-adhesive interaction on the pyrolysis process are subsequently analyzed. Furthermore, the controversial statements from literature on the influence of adhesives on wood pyrolysis behavior are discussed, which is followed by the detailed investigation into the distribution and evolution of N-containing species in gas, liquid and char, respectively, during WBPs pyrolysis in recent studies. The differences in N species due to the heating sources (i.e. electrical heating vs microwave heating) are particularly compared. Finally, based on the characteristics of staged pyrolysis, co-pyrolysis and catalytic pyrolysis, the converting pathways for WBPs are proposed with an emphasis on the production of value-added chemicals and carbon materials, simultaneously mitigating NOx emission.
  6. Modeling flood susceptibility using data-driven approaches of naïve Bayes tree, alternating decision tree, and random forest methods
    Chen W, Li Y, Xue W, Shahabi H, Li S, Hong H, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Jan 20;701:134979.
    PMID: 31733400 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134979
    Floods are one of the most devastating types of disasters that cause loss of lives and property worldwide each year. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the prediction capability of the naïve Bayes tree (NBTree), alternating decision tree (ADTree), and random forest (RF) methods for the spatial prediction of flood occurrence in the Quannan area, China. A flood inventory map with 363 flood locations was produced and partitioned into training and validation datasets through random selection with a ratio of 70/30. The spatial flood database was constructed using thirteen flood explanatory factors. The probability certainty factor (PCF) method was used to analyze the correlation between the factors and flood occurrences. Consequently, three flood susceptibility maps were produced using the NBTree, ADTree, and RF methods. Finally, the area under the curve (AUC) and statistical measures were used to validate the flood susceptibility models. The results indicated that the RF method is an efficient and reliable model in flood susceptibility assessment, with the highest AUC values, positive predictive rate, negative predictive rate, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the training (0.951, 0.892, 0.941, 0.945, 0.886, and 0.915, respectively) and validation (0.925, 0.851, 0.938, 0.945, 0.835, and 0.890, respectively) datasets.
  7. Fulltext Application of Biochar Derived From Pyrolysis of Waste Fiberboard on Tetracycline Adsorption in Aqueous Solution
    Xu D, Gao Y, Lin Z, Gao W, Zhang H, Karnowo K, et al.
    Front Chem, 2019;7:943.
    PMID: 32117859 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00943
    In this study, biochars derived from waste fiberboard biomass were applied in tetracycline (TC) removal in aqueous solution. Biochar samples were prepared by slow pyrolysis at 300, 500, and 800°C, and were characterized by ultimate analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), etc. The effects of ionic strength (0-1.0 mol/L of NaCl), initial TC concentration (2.5-60 ppm), biochar dosage (1.5-2.5 g/L), and initial pH (2-10) were systemically determined. The results present that biochar prepared at 800°C (BC800) generally possesses the highest aromatization degree and surface area with abundant pyridinic N (N-6) and accordingly shows a better removal efficiency (68.6%) than the other two biochar samples. Adsorption isotherm data were better fitted by the Freundlich model (R2 is 0.94) than the Langmuir model (R2 is 0.85). Thermodynamic study showed that the adsorption process is endothermic and mainly physical in nature with the values of ΔH0 being 48.0 kJ/mol, ΔS0 being 157.1 J/mol/K, and ΔG0 varying from 1.02 to -2.14 kJ/mol. The graphite-like structure in biochar enables the π-π interactions with a ring structure in the TC molecule, which, together with the N-6 acting as electron donor, is the main driving force of the adsorption process.
  8. Volatile-char interactions during biomass pyrolysis: Cleavage of C-C bond in a β-5 lignin model dimer by amino-modified graphitized carbon nanotube
    Huang Y, Liu S, Zhang J, Syed-Hassan SSA, Hu X, Sun H, et al.
    Bioresour Technol, 2020 Jul;307:123192.
    PMID: 32220819 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123192
    This study investigated the interactions between volatile and char during biomass pyrolysis at 400 °C, employing a β-5 lignin dimer and amino-modified graphitized carbon nanotube (CNT-NH2) as their models, respectively. The results demonstrated that both -NH2 and its carrier (CNT) facilitated the conversion of the β-5 dimer, which significantly increased from 9.7% (blank run), to 61.6% (with CNT), and to 96.6% (with CNT-NH2). CNT mainly favored the breakage of C-O bond in the feedstock to produce dimers with a yield of 55.5%, while CNT-NH2 promoted the cleavage of both C-O and C-C bonds to yield monomers with a yield up to 63.4%. Such significant changes in the pyrolysis behaviors of the β-5 lignin dimer after the introduction of CNT-NH2 were considered to be mainly caused by hydrogen-bond formations between -NH2 and the dimeric feedstock/products, in addition to the π-π stacking between CNT and aromatic rings.
  9. Potential of Producing Flavonoids Using Cyanobacteria As a Sustainable Chassis
    Jin H, Wang Y, Zhao P, Wang L, Zhang S, Meng D, et al.
    J Agric Food Chem, 2021 Oct 27;69(42):12385-12401.
    PMID: 34649432 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c04632
    Numerous plant secondary metabolites have remarkable impacts on both food supplements and pharmaceuticals for human health improvement. However, higher plants can only generate small amounts of these chemicals with specific temporal and spatial arrangements, which are unable to satisfy the expanding market demands. Cyanobacteria can directly utilize CO2, light energy, and inorganic nutrients to synthesize versatile plant-specific photosynthetic intermediates and organic compounds in large-scale photobioreactors with outstanding economic merit. Thus, they have been rapidly developed as a "green" chassis for the synthesis of bioproducts. Flavonoids, chemical compounds based on aromatic amino acids, are considered to be indispensable components in a variety of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. In contrast to heterotrophic metabolic engineering pioneers, such as yeast and Escherichia coli, information about the biosynthesis flavonoids and their derivatives is less comprehensive than that of their photosynthetic counterparts. Here, we review both benefits and challenges to promote cyanobacterial cell factories for flavonoid biosynthesis. With increasing concerns about global environmental issues and food security, we are confident that energy self-supporting cyanobacteria will attract increasing attention for the generation of different kinds of bioproducts. We hope that the work presented here will serve as an index and encourage more scientists to join in the relevant research area.
  10. Fulltext Microplastic ingestion by commercial marine fish from the seawater of Northwest Peninsular Malaysia
    Foo YH, Ratnam S, Lim EV, Abdullah M, Molenaar VJ, Shau Hwai AT, et al.
    PeerJ, 2022;10:e13181.
    PMID: 35462757 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13181
    Over the past decade, concerns over microplastic pollution in the marine ecosystem has increasingly gained more attention, but research investigating the ingestion of microplastics by marine fish in Malaysia is still regrettably lacking. This study investigated the microplastic presence, abundance, and morphological types within the guts of four species of commercial marine fish (Atule mate, Crenimugil seheli, Sardinella fimbriata and Rastrelliger brachysoma) caught in seawater off the coast of Malaysia's Northwest Peninsular. A total of 72 individual commercial marine fish guts from four species (fish per species n = 18) were examined. Remarkably, this study found that 100% of the samples contained microplastics. A total number of 432 microplastics (size < 5 mm) from the four species were found in the excised marine fish guts. The most common type of microplastic discovered was fragment, which accounted for 49.5% of all microplastics present. The gut microplastic content differed between species. Sardinella fimbriata recorded the greatest amount of microplastic ingestion, with an average microplastic count of 6.5 (±4.3) items per individual fish. However, there were no statistically significant differences found when comparing study species and different locations. SEM-EDX analysis confirmed the presence of microplastic particles by identifying the chemical elements found in the samples. Since the four studied species of commercial marine fish are popular protein sources in Malaysians' daily diet, this study suggests potential microplastic exposure to humans via contaminated fish consumption in Malaysia, which was previously unknown. Based on previous scientific evidence, this study also demonstrates the high probability of microplastic ingestion in marine fish in the Malaysian seawater, which could have an adverse effect on fish health as well as marine biota.
  11. Fulltext Zyxin regulates embryonic stem cell fate by modulating mechanical and biochemical signaling interface
    Zhang S, Chong LH, Woon JYX, Chua TX, Cheruba E, Yip AK, et al.
    Commun Biol, 2023 Jan 18;6(1):62.
    PMID: 36653484 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04421-0
    Biochemical signaling and mechano-transduction are both critical in regulating stem cell fate. How crosstalk between mechanical and biochemical cues influences embryonic development, however, is not extensively investigated. Using a comparative study of focal adhesion constituents between mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) and their differentiated counterparts, we find while zyxin is lowly expressed in mESCs, its levels increase dramatically during early differentiation. Interestingly, overexpression of zyxin in mESCs suppresses Oct4 and Nanog. Using an integrative biochemical and biophysical approach, we demonstrate involvement of zyxin in regulating pluripotency through actin stress fibres and focal adhesions which are known to modulate cellular traction stress and facilitate substrate rigidity-sensing. YAP signaling is identified as an important biochemical effector of zyxin-induced mechanotransduction. These results provide insights into the role of zyxin in the integration of mechanical and biochemical cues for the regulation of embryonic stem cell fate.
  12. Fulltext Swietenine Alleviates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Diabetic Mice via Lipogenesis Inhibition and Antioxidant Mechanisms
    Mak KK, Zhang S, Chellian J, Mohd Z, Epemolu O, Dinkova-Kostova AT, et al.
    Antioxidants (Basel), 2023 Feb 27;12(3).
    PMID: 36978843 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030595
    Our previous studies have reported the effect of swietenine (a major bioactive component of Swietenia macrophylla seeds) in reversing and potentiating the effect of metformin in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidaemia in diabetic rats. Moreover, we reported that the anti-inflammatory effect of swietenine is mediated via the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). This study evaluated the effect of swietenine and its mechanisms in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The effect was assessed by determining blood biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, alanine transaminase (ALT), asparate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and liver biochemical parameters (liver index, cholesterol, and triglycerides). Hepatic lipid accumulation (initial causative factor in NAFLD) was determined by oil-O-red staining. Gene expression (qPCR) and immunohistochemical studies were performed to elucidate the mechanism of swietenine's effect in NAFLD. The critical regulators (genes and proteins) involved in lipogenesis (ACLY, ACC1, FASN, SREBP1c, and ChREBPβ) and oxidative stress (Nrf2, NQO-1 and HO-1) pathways were determined. In mice fed with a high-fat diet followed by streptozotocin injection, the liver cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipids were elevated. These increases were reversed by the oral administration of swietenine, 80 mg/kg body weight, on alternate days for eight weeks. Gene expression and immunohistochemical studies showed that swietenine reversed the elevated levels of crucial enzymes of lipogenesis (ACLY, ACC1 and FASN) and their master transcription factors (SREBP1c and ChREBPβ). Furthermore, swietenine activated the Nrf2 antioxidant defense mechanism, as evidenced by the upregulated levels of Nrf2, NQO-1, and HO-1. It is concluded that swietenine shows beneficial effects in diabetes-induced NAFLD via inhibiting lipogenesis and activating the Nrf2 pathway.
  13. Fulltext Best practices for managing malodorous and infected wounds in advanced cervical cancer
    Hamid HA, Lin X, Qin YK, Akim AM, Zhang L, Wang J, et al.
    Int Wound J, 2024 Feb;21(2):e14574.
    PMID: 38379231 DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14574
    This cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the most effective strategies for managing malodorous and infected wounds in patients who have been diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer. The research was conducted in Liupanshui, China. The study specifically examined demographic profiles, wound characteristics and effectiveness of wound management approaches. The study incorporated the heterogeneous sample of 289 participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data collection was conducted via structured questionnaires and medical record evaluations. Descriptive statistics and statistical analyses, such as regression analysis, were utilized to evaluate demographic attributes, wound profiles and effects of different approaches to wound management. The findings unveiled the heterogeneous demographic composition of patients, encompassing differences in socioeconomic standing, educational attainment and age. A wide range of wound characteristics were observed, as 65.7% of lesions during the acute phase with diameter between 2 and 5 centimetres, while 41.5% of lesions had this range. The most prevalent types of infections were those caused by fungi (48.4%), followed by bacterial infections lacking resistance (38.1%). A moderate degree of odour intensity was prevalent, affecting 45.0% of the cases. With maximal odour reduction of 80%, a mean healing time of 25 days and patient satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy demonstrated itself to be the most efficacious treatment method. Additional approaches, such as photodynamic therapy and topical antibiotic therapy, demonstrated significant effectiveness, as evidenced by odour reductions of 70% and 75%, respectively, and patient satisfaction ratings of 4.3 and 4.2. Thus, the study determined challenges associated with management of malodorous and infected lesions among patients with advanced cervical cancer. The results underscored the significance of individualized care approaches, drew attention to efficacious wound management techniques and identified critical determinants that impacted patient recuperation. The findings of this study hold potential for advancing palliative care for individuals diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer.
  14. Fulltext Application of a novel nested ensemble algorithm in predicting motor function recovery in patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
    Wang Y, Zhang J, Yuan J, Li Q, Zhang S, Wang C, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 29;14(1):17403.
    PMID: 39075134 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65755-1
    Traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSCI) often causes varying degrees of motor dysfunction, common assessed by the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI), in association with the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale. Accurate prediction of motor function recovery is extremely important for formulating effective diagnosis, therapeutic and rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study is to investigate the validity of a novel nested ensemble algorithm that uses the very early ASIA motor score (AMS) of ISNCSCI examination to predict motor function recovery 6 months after injury in TCSCI patients. This retrospective study included complete data of 315 TCSCI patients. The dataset consisting of the first AMS at ≤ 24 h post-injury and follow-up AMS at 6 months post-injury was divided into a training set (80%) and a test set (20%). The nested ensemble algorithm was established in a two-stage manner. Support Vector Classification (SVC), Adaboost, Weak-learner and Dummy were used in the first stage, and Adaboost was selected as second-stage model. The prediction results of the first stage models were uploaded into second-stage model to obtain the final prediction results. The model performance was evaluated using precision, recall, accuracy, F1 score, and confusion matrix. The nested ensemble algorithm was applied to predict motor function recovery of TCSCI, achieving an accuracy of 80.6%, a F1 score of 80.6%, and balancing sensitivity and specificity. The confusion matrix showed few false-negative rate, which has crucial practical implications for prognostic prediction of TCSCI. This novel nested ensemble algorithm, simply based on very early AMS, provides a useful tool for predicting motor function recovery 6 months after TCSCI, which is graded in gradients that progressively improve the accuracy and reliability of the prediction, demonstrating a strong potential of ensemble learning to personalize and optimize the rehabilitation and care of TCSCI patients.
  15. Discovery of novel 1,8-naphthalimide piperazinamide based benzenesulfonamides derivatives as potent carbonic anhydrase IX inhibitors and ferroptosis inducers for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer
    Liang Q, Zhang S, Liu J, Zhou X, Syamimi Ariffin N, Wei J, et al.
    Bioorg Chem, 2024 Sep;150:107596.
    PMID: 38941699 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107596
    A novel series of 1,8-naphthalimide piperazinamide based benzenesulfonamides derivatives were designed and synthesized as carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) inhibitors and ferroptosis inducers for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The representative compound 9o exhibited more potent inhibitory activity and selective against CA IX over off-target CA II, compared with positive control SLC-0111. Molecular docking study was also performed to gain insights into the binding interactions of 9o in the binding pocket of CAIX. Moreover, compound 9o exhibited superior antitumor activities against breast cancer cells under hypoxia than that of normoxia conditions. Mechanism studies revealed that compound 9o could act as DNA intercalator and effectively suppressed cell migration, arrested the cell cycle at G1/S phase and induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells, while inducing ferroptosis accompanied by the dissipation of MMP and the elevation intracellular levels of ROS. Notably, in vivo studies demonstrated that 9o effectively inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in a highly metastatic murine breast cancer 4 T1 xenograft model. Taken together, this study suggests that compound 9o represents a potent and selective CA IX inhibitor and ferroptosis inducer for the treatment of TNBC.
  16. MSC-EV-transmitted HSPA8 alleviates cisplatin-induced ovotoxicity by regulating the MGARP/PRDX2 axis
    Zhang S, Song H, Chang M, Lu Y, Liu S, Wu J, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2025 Apr;304(Pt 2):140973.
    PMID: 39952536 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140973
    Cisplatin (Cis) is among the most widely employed antitumour agents, although its clinical application is limited by self-induced multiple-organ toxicity. Previous studies have demonstrated the essential role of mitochondrial injury in the pathogenesis of Cis-induced ovotoxicity. Notably, mesenchymal stem cell-extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs), potential cell-free therapeutic agents, exhibit pronounced advantages for the treatment of ovarian dysfunction. However, little is known about which core component contained in MSC-EVs plays a major role in repairing Cis-induced ovarian damage, and further, the potential mechanisms underlying the repair of mitochondrial damage remain unclear. Herein, our study first verified that MSC-EVs effectively ameliorate Cis-induced ovarian dysfunction by upregulating the level of mitochondrion-localized glutamic acid-rich protein (MGARP), after which MGARP repairs mitochondrial damage and inhibits cellular ROS production by combining with and suppressing the degradation of peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) in granulosa cells (GCs). More importantly, our study further showed that heat shock protein family A member 8 (HSPA8) is indispensable for MenSC-EV-mediated improvement of Cis-induced ovotoxicity. This investigation provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms by which MSCs alleviate Cis-induced ovotoxicity through improving mitochondrial dysfunction.
  17. Fulltext Molecular epidemiology of coxsackievirus A16: intratype and prevalent intertype recombination identified
    Chen X, Tan X, Li J, Jin Y, Gong L, Hong M, et al.
    PLoS One, 2013;8(12):e82861.
    PMID: 24340064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082861
    Coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) is responsible for nearly 50% of all the confirmed hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in mainland China, sometimes it could also cause severe complications, and even death. To clarify the genetic characteristics and the epidemic patterns of CVA16 in mainland China, comprehensive bioinfomatics analyses were performed by using 35 CVA16 whole genome sequences from 1998 to 2011, 593 complete CVA16 VP1 sequences from 1981 to 2011, and prototype strains of human enterovirus species A (EV-A). Analysis on complete VP1 sequences revealed that subgenotypes B1a and B1b were prevalent strains and have been co-circulating in many Asian countries since 2000, especially in mainland China for at least 13 years. While the prevalence of subgenotype B1c (totally 20 strains) was much limited, only found in Malaysia from 2005 to 2007 and in France in 2010. Genotype B2 only caused epidemic in Japan and Malaysia from 1981 to 2000. Both subgenotypes B1a and B1b were potential recombinant viruses containing sequences from other EV-A donors in the 5'-untranslated region and P2, P3 non-structural protein encoding regions.
  18. Genetic diversity and molecular identification of mosquito species in the Anopheles maculatus group using the ITS2 region of rDNA
    Walton C, Somboon P, O'Loughlin SM, Zhang S, Harbach RE, Linton YM, et al.
    Infect Genet Evol, 2007 Jan;7(1):93-102.
    PMID: 16782411
    The species diversity and genetic structure of mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles maculatus group in Southeast Asia were investigated using the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA). A molecular phylogeny indicates the presence of at least one hitherto unrecognised species. Mosquitoes of chromosomal form K from eastern Thailand have a unique ITS2 sequence that is 3.7% divergent from the next most closely related taxon (An. sawadwongporni) in the group. In the context of negligible intraspecific variation at ITS2, this suggests that chromosomal form K is most probably a distinct species. Although An. maculatus sensu stricto from northern Thailand and southern Thailand/peninsular Malaysia differ from each other in chromosomal banding pattern and vectorial capacity, no intraspecific variation was observed in the ITS2 sequences of this species over this entire geographic area despite an extensive survey. A PCR-based identification method was developed to distinguish five species of the group (An. maculatus, An. dravidicus, An. pseudowillmori, An. sawadwongporni and chromosomal form K) to assist field-based studies in northwestern Thailand. Sequences from 187 mosquitoes (mostly An. maculatus and An. sawadwongporni) revealed no intraspecific variation in specimens from Thailand, Cambodia, mainland China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, suggesting that this identification method will be widely applicable in Southeast Asia. The lack of detectable genetic structure also suggests that populations of these species are either connected by gene flow and/or share a recent common history.
  19. Fulltext Improve the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in emerging countries: the Improve SCA clinical study design
    Zhang S, Singh B, Rodriguez DA, Chasnoits AR, Hussin A, Ching CK, et al.
    Europace, 2015 Nov;17(11):1720-6.
    PMID: 26037794 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euv103
    This study aims to demonstrate that primary prevention (PP) patients with one or more additional risk factors are at a similar risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias when compared with secondary prevention (SP) patients, and would receive similar benefit from an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), or cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) implant. The study evaluates the benefits of therapy for high-risk patients in countries where defibrillation therapy for PP of SCA is underutilized.
  20. Fulltext Phase III, randomised, double-blind, multicentre study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vonoprazan compared with lansoprazole in Asian patients with erosive oesophagitis
    Xiao Y, Zhang S, Dai N, Fei G, Goh KL, Chun HJ, et al.
    Gut, 2020 02;69(2):224-230.
    PMID: 31409606 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318365
    OBJECTIVE: To establish the non-inferior efficacy of vonoprazan versus lansoprazole in the treatment of Asian patients with erosive oesophagitis (EO).

    DESIGN: In this phase III, double-blind, multicentre study, patients with endoscopically confirmed EO were randomised 1:1 to receive vonoprazan 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg, once daily for up to 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was EO healing rate at 8 weeks. The secondary endpoints were EO healing rates at 2 and 4 weeks. Safety endpoints included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).

    RESULTS: In the vonoprazan (n=238) and lansoprazole (n=230) arms, 8-week EO healing rates were 92.4% and 91.3%, respectively (difference 1.1% (95% CI -3.822% to 6.087%)). The respective 2-week EO healing rates were 75.0% and 67.8% (difference 7.2% (95% CI -1.054% to 15.371%)), and the respective 4-week EO healing rates were 85.3% and 83.5% (difference 1.8% (95% CI -4.763% to 8.395%)). In patients with baseline Los Angeles classification grade C/D, 2-week, 4-week and 8-week EO healing rates were higher with vonoprazan versus lansoprazole (2 weeks: 62.2% vs 51.5%, difference 10.6% (95% CI -5.708% to 27.002%); 4 weeks: 73.3% vs 67.2%, difference 6.2% (95% CI -8.884 to 21.223); and 8 weeks: 84.0% vs 80.6%, difference 3.4% (95% CI -9.187% to 15.993%)). Overall, EO healing rates appeared higher with vonoprazan versus lansoprazole. TEAE rates were 38.1% and 36.6% in the vonoprazan and lansoprazole group, respectively.

    CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate the non-inferior efficacy of vonoprazan versus lansoprazole in terms of EO healing rate at 8 weeks in this population. Safety outcomes were similar in the two treatment arms.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02388724.

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