Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 149 in total

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  1. Co-encapsulation of curcumin and quercetin with zein/HP-β-CD conjugates to enhance environmental resistance and antioxidant activity
    Qiu C, Zhang Z, Li X, Sang S, McClements DJ, Chen L, et al.
    NPJ Sci Food, 2023 Jun 14;7(1):29.
    PMID: 37316567 DOI: 10.1038/s41538-023-00186-2
    In this study, composite nanoparticles consisting of zein and hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin were prepared using a combined antisolvent co-precipitation/electrostatic interaction method. The effects of calcium ion concentration on the stability of the composite nanoparticles containing both curcumin and quercetin were investigated. Moreover, the stability and bioactivity of the quercetin and curcumin were characterized before and after encapsulation. Fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions were the main driving forces for the formation of the composite nanoparticles. The addition of calcium ions promoted crosslinking of the proteins and affected the stability of the protein-cyclodextrin composite particles through electrostatic screening and binding effects. The addition of calcium ions to the composite particles improved the encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant activity, and stability of the curcumin and quercetin. However, there was an optimum calcium ion concentration (2.0 mM) that provided the best encapsulation and protective effects on the nutraceuticals. The calcium crosslinked composite particles were shown to maintain good stability under different pH and simulated gastrointestinal digestion conditions. These results suggest that zein-cyclodextrin composite nanoparticles may be useful plant-based colloidal delivery systems for hydrophobic bio-active agents.
  2. Identification of Mycoplasma pneumoniae by DNA-modified gold nanomaterials in a colorimetric assay
    Qin D, Gong Q, Li X, Gao Y, Gopinath SCB, Chen Y, et al.
    Biotechnol Appl Biochem, 2023 Apr;70(2):553-559.
    PMID: 35725894 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2377
    Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a highly infectious bacterium and the major cause of pneumonia especially in school-going children. Mycoplasma pneumoniae affects the respiratory tract, and 25% of patients experience health-related problems. It is important to have a suitable method to detect M. pneumoniae, and gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based colorimetric biosensing was used in this study to identify the specific target DNA for M. pneumoniae. The color of GNPs changes due to negatively charged GNPs in the presence of positively charged monovalent (Na+ ) ions from NaCl. This condition is reversed in the presence of a single-stranded oligonucleotide, as it attracts GNPs but not in the presence of double-stranded DNA. Single standard capture DNA was mixed with optimal target DNA that cannot be adsorbed by GNPs; under this condition, GNPs are not stabilized and aggregate at high ionic strength (from 100 mM). Without capture DNA, the GNPs that were stabilized by capture DNA (from 1 μM) became more stable under high ionic conditions and retaining their red color. The GNPs turned blue in the presence of target DNA at concentrations of 1 pM, and the GNPs retained a red color when there was no target in the solution. This method is useful for the simple, easy, and accurate identification of M. pneumoniae target DNA at higher discrimination and without involving sophisticated equipment, and this method provides a diagnostic for M. pneumoniae.
  3. IDRiD: Diabetic Retinopathy - Segmentation and Grading Challenge
    Porwal P, Pachade S, Kokare M, Deshmukh G, Son J, Bae W, et al.
    Med Image Anal, 2020 01;59:101561.
    PMID: 31671320 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2019.101561
    Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the most common cause of avoidable vision loss, predominantly affecting the working-age population across the globe. Screening for DR, coupled with timely consultation and treatment, is a globally trusted policy to avoid vision loss. However, implementation of DR screening programs is challenging due to the scarcity of medical professionals able to screen a growing global diabetic population at risk for DR. Computer-aided disease diagnosis in retinal image analysis could provide a sustainable approach for such large-scale screening effort. The recent scientific advances in computing capacity and machine learning approaches provide an avenue for biomedical scientists to reach this goal. Aiming to advance the state-of-the-art in automatic DR diagnosis, a grand challenge on "Diabetic Retinopathy - Segmentation and Grading" was organized in conjunction with the IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI - 2018). In this paper, we report the set-up and results of this challenge that is primarily based on Indian Diabetic Retinopathy Image Dataset (IDRiD). There were three principal sub-challenges: lesion segmentation, disease severity grading, and localization of retinal landmarks and segmentation. These multiple tasks in this challenge allow to test the generalizability of algorithms, and this is what makes it different from existing ones. It received a positive response from the scientific community with 148 submissions from 495 registrations effectively entered in this challenge. This paper outlines the challenge, its organization, the dataset used, evaluation methods and results of top-performing participating solutions. The top-performing approaches utilized a blend of clinical information, data augmentation, and an ensemble of models. These findings have the potential to enable new developments in retinal image analysis and image-based DR screening in particular.
  4. Fulltext Model learning analysis of 3D optoacoustic mesoscopy images for the classification of atopic dermatitis
    Park S, Saw SN, Li X, Paknezhad M, Coppola D, Dinish US, et al.
    Biomed Opt Express, 2021 Jun 01;12(6):3671-3683.
    PMID: 34221687 DOI: 10.1364/BOE.415105
    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin inflammatory disease affecting 10% of the population worldwide. Raster-scanning optoacoustic mesoscopy (RSOM) has recently shown promise in dermatological imaging. We conducted a comprehensive analysis using three machine-learning models, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and convolutional neural network (CNN) for classifying healthy versus AD conditions, and sub-classifying different AD severities using RSOM images and clinical information. CNN model successfully differentiates healthy from AD patients with 97% accuracy. With limited data, RF achieved 65% accuracy in sub-classifying AD patients into mild versus moderate-severe cases. Identification of disease severities is vital in managing AD treatment.
  5. Spatial analyses of immune cell infiltration in cancer: current methods and future directions: A report of the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group on Breast Cancer
    Page DB, Broeckx G, Jahangir CA, Verbandt S, Gupta RR, Thagaard J, et al.
    J Pathol, 2023 Aug;260(5):514-532.
    PMID: 37608771 DOI: 10.1002/path.6165
    Modern histologic imaging platforms coupled with machine learning methods have provided new opportunities to map the spatial distribution of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. However, there exists no standardized method for describing or analyzing spatial immune cell data, and most reported spatial analyses are rudimentary. In this review, we provide an overview of two approaches for reporting and analyzing spatial data (raster versus vector-based). We then provide a compendium of spatial immune cell metrics that have been reported in the literature, summarizing prognostic associations in the context of a variety of cancers. We conclude by discussing two well-described clinical biomarkers, the breast cancer stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes score and the colon cancer Immunoscore, and describe investigative opportunities to improve clinical utility of these spatial biomarkers. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
  6. New approach for sugarcane disease recognition through visible and near-infrared spectroscopy and a modified wavelength selection method using machine learning models
    Ong P, Jian J, Li X, Zou C, Yin J, Ma G
    Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc, 2023 Dec 05;302:123037.
    PMID: 37356390 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123037
    The proliferation of pathogenic fungi in sugarcane crops poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity and economic sustainability. Early identification and management of sugarcane diseases are therefore crucial to mitigate the adverse impacts of these pathogens. In this study, visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (380-1400 nm) combined with a novel wavelength selection method, referred to as modified flower pollination algorithm (MFPA), was utilized for sugarcane disease recognition. The selected wavelengths were incorporated into machine learning models, including Naïve Bayes, random forest, and support vector machine (SVM). The developed simplified SVM model, which utilized the MFPA wavelength selection method yielded the best performances, achieving a precision value of 0.9753, a sensitivity value of 0.9259, a specificity value of 0.9524, and an accuracy of 0.9487. These results outperformed those obtained by other wavelength selection approaches, including the selectivity ratio, variable importance in projection, and the baseline method of the flower pollination algorithm.
  7. Visible and near-infrared spectroscopic determination of sugarcane chlorophyll content using a modified wavelength selection method for multivariate calibration
    Ong P, Jian J, Li X, Yin J, Ma G
    Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc, 2024 Jan 15;305:123477.
    PMID: 37804706 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123477
    Spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared region (Vis-NIR) region has proven to be an effective technique for quantifying the chlorophyll contents of plants, which serves as an important indicator of their photosynthetic rate and health status. However, the Vis-NIR spectroscopy analysis confronts a significant challenge concerning the existence of spectral variations and interferences induced by diverse factors. Hence, the selection of characteristic wavelengths plays a crucial role in Vis-NIR spectroscopy analysis. In this study, a novel wavelength selection approach known as the modified regression coefficient (MRC) selection method was introduced to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of chlorophyll content in sugarcane leaves. Experimental data comprising spectral reflectance measurements (220-1400 nm) were collected from sugarcane leaf samples at different growth stages, including seedling, tillering, and jointing, and the corresponding chlorophyll contents were measured. The proposed MRC method was employed to select optimal wavelengths for analysis, and subsequent partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) models were developed to establish the relationship between the selected wavelengths and the measured chlorophyll contents. In comparison to full-spectrum modelling and other commonly employed wavelength selection techniques, the proposed simplified MRC-GPR model, utilizing a subset of 291 selected wavelengths, demonstrated superior performance. The MRC-GPR model achieved higher coefficient of determination of 0.9665 and 0.8659, and lower root mean squared error of 1.7624 and 3.2029, for calibration set and prediction set, respectively. Results showed that the GPR model, a nonlinear regression approach, outperformed the PLSR model.
  8. Health benefits, mechanisms of interaction with food components, and delivery of tea polyphenols: a review
    Niu J, Shang M, Li X, Sang S, Chen L, Long J, et al.
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023 Sep 04.
    PMID: 37665600 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2253542
    Tea polyphenols (TPs) are the most important active component of tea and have become a research focus among natural products, thanks to their antioxidant, lipid-lowering, liver-protecting, anti-tumor, and other biological activities. Polyphenols can interact with other food components, such as protein, polysaccharides, lipids, and metal ions to further improve the texture, flavor, and sensory quality of food, and are widely used in food fields, such as food preservatives, antibacterial agents and food packaging. However, the instability of TPs under conditions such as light or heat and their low bioavailability in the gastrointestinal environment also hinder their application in food. In this review, we summarized the health benefits of TPs. In order to better use TPs in food, we analyzed the form and mechanism of interaction between TPs and main food components, such as polysaccharides and proteins. Moreover, we reviewed research into optimizing the applications of TPs in food by bio-based delivery systems, such as liposomes, nanoemulsions, and nanoparticles, so as to improve the stability and bioactivity of TPs in food application. As an effective active ingredient, TPs have great potential to be applied in functional food to produce benefits for human health.
  9. Associations of the glycaemic index and the glycaemic load with risk of type 2 diabetes in 127 594 people from 20 countries (PURE): a prospective cohort study
    Miller V, Jenkins DA, Dehghan M, Srichaikul K, Rangarajan S, Mente A, et al.
    Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2024 May;12(5):330-338.
    PMID: 38588684 DOI: 10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00069-X
    BACKGROUND: The association between the glycaemic index and the glycaemic load with type 2 diabetes incidence is controversial. We aimed to evaluate this association in an international cohort with diverse glycaemic index and glycaemic load diets.

    METHODS: The PURE study is a prospective cohort study of 127 594 adults aged 35-70 years from 20 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries. Diet was assessed at baseline using country-specific validated food frequency questionnaires. The glycaemic index and the glycaemic load were estimated on the basis of the intake of seven categories of carbohydrate-containing foods. Participants were categorised into quintiles of glycaemic index and glycaemic load. The primary outcome was incident type 2 diabetes. Multivariable Cox Frailty models with random intercepts for study centre were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs).

    FINDINGS: During a median follow-up of 11·8 years (IQR 9·0-13·0), 7326 (5·7%) incident cases of type 2 diabetes occurred. In multivariable adjusted analyses, a diet with a higher glycaemic index was significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes (quintile 5 vs quintile 1; HR 1·15 [95% CI 1·03-1·29]). Participants in the highest quintile of the glycaemic load had a higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes compared with those in the lowest quintile (HR 1·21, 95% CI 1·06-1·37). The glycaemic index was more strongly associated with diabetes among individuals with a higher BMI (quintile 5 vs quintile 1; HR 1·23 [95% CI 1·08-1·41]) than those with a lower BMI (quintile 5 vs quintile 1; 1·10 [0·87-1·39]; p interaction=0·030).

    INTERPRETATION: Diets with a high glycaemic index and a high glycaemic load were associated with a higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes in a multinational cohort spanning five continents. Our findings suggest that consuming low glycaemic index and low glycaemic load diets might prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

    FUNDING: Full funding sources are listed at the end of the Article.

  10. Spatial effects of market integration on the industrial agglomeration of agricultural products: evidence from China
    Miao X, Han J, Wang S, Li X
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Aug;30(36):84949-84971.
    PMID: 37392303 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28303-4
    The spatial effects of agricultural market integration on industrial agglomeration are an important field of regional economic. This paper collected the data of agricultural market integration and industrial agglomeration in 31 provinces in China from 2010 to 2019, analyzed the spatial effects of the two by constructing a dynamic spatial Dubin model, and explored its long-term and short-term effects of the spatial effects. The results show the following: (1) the primary terms of agricultural market integration were negative and the secondary terms were positive. The impact of agricultural market integration on local industrial agglomeration had a "U-shaped" characteristic. Whether in the short-term or long-term, there was a significant direct effect of "suppression to promotion." (2) The agricultural market integration had a spatial spillover effect on industrial agglomeration in the neighboring areas. This effect had an "inverted U-shaped" characteristic. Whether in the short-term or long-term, there was a prominent spatial spillover effect of "promotion to suppression." (3) For direct effects, the short-term direct effects of agricultural market integration on industrial agglomeration were - 0.0452 and 0.0077, and the long-term direct effects were - 0.2430 and 0.0419. For spatial spillover effects, the short-term spatial spillover effects were 0.0983 and - 0.0179, and the long-term spatial spillover effects were 0.4554 and - 0.0827. The long-term effects were greater than the short-term effects. This paper provides empirical evidence for the effects of agricultural market integration on industrial agglomeration in different regions, and exploring the development of agricultural agglomeration in the long-term.
  11. Fulltext Global Protected Areas as refuges for amphibians and reptiles under climate change
    Mi C, Ma L, Yang M, Li X, Meiri S, Roll U, et al.
    Nat Commun, 2023 Mar 13;14(1):1389.
    PMID: 36914628 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36987-y
    Protected Areas (PAs) are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. Here, we collated distributional data for >14,000 (~70% of) species of amphibians and reptiles (herpetofauna) to perform a global assessment of the conservation effectiveness of PAs using species distribution models. Our analyses reveal that >91% of herpetofauna species are currently distributed in PAs, and that this proportion will remain unaltered under future climate change. Indeed, loss of species' distributional ranges will be lower inside PAs than outside them. Therefore, the proportion of effectively protected species is predicted to increase. However, over 7.8% of species currently occur outside PAs, and large spatial conservation gaps remain, mainly across tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and across non-high-income countries. We also predict that more than 300 amphibian and 500 reptile species may go extinct under climate change over the course of the ongoing century. Our study highlights the importance of PAs in providing herpetofauna with refuge from climate change, and suggests ways to optimize PAs to better conserve biodiversity worldwide.
  12. A Genotype-Phenotype Model for Predicting Resistance Training Effects on Leg Press Performance
    Mei T, Li Y, Li X, Yang X, Li L, Yan X, et al.
    Int J Sports Med, 2023 Dec 20.
    PMID: 38122824 DOI: 10.1055/a-2234-0159
    This study develops a comprehensive genotype-phenotype model for predicting the effects of resistance training on leg press performance. A cohort of physically inactive adults (N=193) underwent 12 weeks of resistance training, and measurements of maximum isokinetic leg press peak force, muscle mass, and thickness were taken before and after the intervention. Whole-genome genotyping was performed, and genome-wide association analysis identified 85 novel SNPs significantly associated with changes in leg press strength after training. A prediction model was constructed using stepwise linear regression, incorporating 7 lead SNPs that explained 40.4% of the training effect variance. The polygenic score showed a significant positive correlation with changes in leg press strength. By integrating genomic markers and phenotypic indicators, the comprehensive prediction model explained 75.4% of the variance in the training effect. Additionally, five SNPs were found to potentially impact muscle contraction, metabolism, growth, and development through their association with REACTOME pathways. Individual responses to resistance training varied, with changes in leg press strength ranging from -55.83% to 151.20%. The study highlights the importance of genetic factors in predicting training outcomes and provides insights into the potential biological functions underlying resistance training effects. The comprehensive model offers valuable guidance for personalized fitness programs based on individual genetic profiles and phenotypic characteristics.
  13. Molecular mechanisms underlying lignocellulose degradation and antibiotic resistance genes removal revealed via metagenomics analysis during different agricultural wastes composting
    Ma C, Lo PK, Xu J, Li M, Jiang Z, Li G, et al.
    Bioresour Technol, 2020 Oct;314:123731.
    PMID: 32615447 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123731
    In this study, the differences on the physico-chemical parameters, lignocellulose degradation, dynamic succession of microbial community, gene expression of carbohydrate-active enzymes and antibiotics resistance genes were compared during composting systems of bagasse pith/pig manure (BP) and manioc waste/pig manure (MW). The results revealed that biodegradation rates of organic matter, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin (29.14%, 17.53%,45.36% and 36.48%) in BP were higher than those (15.59%, 16.74%, 41.23% and 29.77%) in MW. In addition, the relative abundance of Bacillus, Luteimonas, Clostridium, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces and expression of genes encoding carbohydrate- active enzymes in BP were higher than those in MW based on metagenomics sequencing. During composting, antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes were substantially reduced, but the removal efficiency was divergent in the both samples. Taken together, metagenomics analysis was a potential method for evaluating lignocellulose's biodegradation process and determining the elimination of antibiotic and antibiotic resistance genes from different composting sources of biomass.
  14. Factors affecting medical students' intention to use Rain Classroom: a cross-sectional survey
    Lv H, Low J, Tan SK, Tang L, Li X
    BMC Med Educ, 2024 Jan 24;24(1):86.
    PMID: 38267919 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05037-6
    BACKGROUND: Rain Classroom was one of the most popular online learning platforms in Chinese higher education during the pandemic. However, there is little research on user intention under the guidance of technology acceptance and unified theory (UTAUT).

    OBJECTIVE: This research aims to determine factors influencing students' behavioural intention to use Rain Classroom.

    METHODS: In this cross-sectional and correlational investigation, 1138 medical students from five medical universities in Guangxi Province, China, made up the sample. This study added self-efficacy (SE), motivation (MO), stress (ST), and anxiety (AN) to the UTAUT framework. This study modified the framework by excluding actual usage variables and focusing only on intention determinants. SPSS-26 and AMOS-26 were used to analyze the data. The structural equation modelling technique was chosen to confirm the hypotheses.

    RESULTS: Except for facilitating conditions (FC), all proposed factors, including performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), self-efficacy (SE), motivation (MO), anxiety (AN), and stress (ST), had a significant effect on students' behavioural intentions to use Rain Classroom.

    CONCLUSIONS: The research revealed that the proposed model, which was based on the UTAUT, is excellent at identifying the variables that influence students' behavioural intentions in the Rain Classroom. Higher education institutions can plan and implement productive classrooms.

  15. Effectiveness, safety, initial optimal dose, and optimal maintenance dose range of basal insulin regimens for type 2 diabetes: A systematic review with meta-analysis
    Luo Y, Xia J, Zhao Z, Chang Y, Bee YM, Nguyen KT, et al.
    J Diabetes, 2023 Apr 10.
    PMID: 37038616 DOI: 10.1111/1753-0407.13381
    AIMS: To investigate the effectiveness, safety, optimal starting dose, optimal maintenance dose range, and target fasting plasma glucose of five basal insulins in insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 2000 to February 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was adopted. The registration ID is CRD42022319078 in PROSPERO.

    RESULTS: Among 11 163 citations retrieved, 35 publications met the planned criteria. From meta-analyses and network meta-analyses, we found that when injecting basal insulin regimens at bedtime, the optimal choice in order of most to least effective might be glargine U-300 or degludec U-100, glargine U-100 or detemir, followed by neutral protamine hagedorn (NPH). Injecting glargine U-100 in the morning may be more effective (ie, more patients archiving glycated hemoglobin 

  16. Fulltext Device-supported automated basal insulin titration in adults with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
    Luo Y, Chang Y, Zhao Z, Xia J, Xu C, Bee YM, et al.
    Lancet Reg Health West Pac, 2023 Jun;35:100746.
    PMID: 37424694 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100746
    BACKGROUND: Technological advances make it possible to use device-supported, automated algorithms to aid basal insulin (BI) dosing titration in patients with type 2 diabetes.

    METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were performed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and quality of life of automated BI titration versus conventional care. The literature in Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane databases from January 2000 to February 2022 were searched to identify relevant studies. Risk ratios (RRs), mean differences (MDs), and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effect meta-analyses. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach.

    FINDINGS: Six of the 7 eligible studies (889 patients) were included in meta-analyses. Low- to moderate-quality evidence suggests that patients who use automated BI titration versus conventional care may have a higher probability of reaching a target of HbA1c <7.0% (RR, 1.82 [95% CI, 1.16-2.86]); and a lower level of HbA1c (MD, -0.25% [95% CI, -0.43 to -0.06%]). No statistically significant differences were detected between the two groups in fasting glucose results, incidences of hypoglycemia, severe or nocturnal hypoglycemia, and quality of life, with low to very low certainty for all the evidence.

    INTERPRETATION: Automated BI titration is associated with small benefits in reducing HbA1c without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. Future studies should explore patient attitudes and the cost-effectiveness of this approach.

    FUNDING: Sponsored by the Chinese Geriatric Endocrine Society.

  17. Fulltext Vaccines based on the fusion protein consensus sequence protect Syrian hamsters from Nipah virus infection
    Lu M, Yao Y, Liu H, Zhang X, Li X, Liu Y, et al.
    JCI Insight, 2023 Dec 08;8(23).
    PMID: 37917215 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.175461
    Nipah virus (NiV), a bat-borne paramyxovirus, results in neurological and respiratory diseases with high mortality in humans and animals. Developing vaccines is crucial for fighting these diseases. Previously, only a few studies focused on the fusion (F) protein alone as the immunogen. Numerous NiV strains have been identified, including 2 representative strains from Malaysia (NiV-M) and Bangladesh (NiV-B), which differ significantly from each other. In this study, an F protein sequence with the potential to prevent different NiV strain infections was designed by bioinformatics analysis after an in-depth study of NiV sequences in GenBank. Then, a chimpanzee adenoviral vector vaccine and a DNA vaccine were developed. High levels of immune responses were detected after AdC68-F, pVAX1-F, and a prime-boost strategy (pVAX1-F/AdC68-F) in mice. After high titers of humoral responses were induced, the hamsters were challenged by the lethal NiV-M and NiV-B strains separately. The vaccinated hamsters did not show any clinical signs and survived 21 days after infection with either strain of NiV, and no virus was detected in different tissues. These results indicate that the vaccines provided complete protection against representative strains of NiV infection and have the potential to be developed as a broad-spectrum vaccine for human use.
  18. Crystal structures of Nipah and Hendra virus fusion core proteins
    Lou Z, Xu Y, Xiang K, Su N, Qin L, Li X, et al.
    FEBS J, 2006 Oct;273(19):4538-47.
    PMID: 16972940
    The Nipah and Hendra viruses are highly pathogenic paramyxoviruses that recently emerged from flying foxes to cause serious disease outbreaks in humans and livestock in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh. Their unique genetic constitution, high virulence and wide host range set them apart from other paramyxoviruses. These characteristics have led to their classification into the new genus Henpavirus within the family Paramyxoviridae and to their designation as Biosafety Level 4 pathogens. The fusion protein, an enveloped glycoprotein essential for viral entry, belongs to the family of class I fusion proteins and is characterized by the presence of two heptad repeat (HR) regions, HR1 and HR2. These two regions associate to form a fusion-active hairpin conformation that juxtaposes the viral and cellular membranes to facilitate membrane fusion and enable subsequent viral entry. The Hendra and Nipah virus fusion core proteins were crystallized and their structures determined to 2.2 A resolution. The Nipah and Hendra fusion core structures are six-helix bundles with three HR2 helices packed against the hydrophobic grooves on the surface of a central coiled coil formed by three parallel HR1 helices in an oblique antiparallel manner. Because of the high level of conservation in core regions, it is proposed that the Nipah and Hendra virus fusion cores can provide a model for membrane fusion in all paramyxoviruses. The relatively deep grooves on the surface of the central coiled coil represent a good target site for drug discovery strategies aimed at inhibiting viral entry by blocking hairpin formation.
  19. Fulltext Protective effect of curcumin against ultraviolet A irradiation‑induced photoaging in human dermal fibroblasts
    Liu X, Zhang R, Shi H, Li X, Li Y, Taha A, et al.
    Mol Med Rep, 2018 05;17(5):7227-7237.
    PMID: 29568864 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.8791
    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory processes in skin, resulting in photoaging. Natural botanicals have gained considerable attention due to their beneficial protection against the harmful effects of UV irradiation. The present study aimed to evaluate the ability of curcumin (Cur) to protect human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) against ultraviolet A (UVA)‑induced photoaging. HDFs were treated with 0‑10 µM Cur for 2 h and subsequently exposed to various intensities of UVA irradiation. The cell viability and apoptotic rate of HDFs were investigated by MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The effect of UVA and Cur on the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde levels, which are an indicator of ROS, and the levels/activity of antioxidative defense proteins, including glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase, were evaluated using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and commercial assay kits. Furthermore, western blotting was performed to determine the levels of proteins associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, the apoptotic pathway, inflammation and the collagen synthesis pathway. The results demonstrated that Cur reduced the accumulation of ROS and restored the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes, indicating that Cur minimized the damage induced by UVA irradiation in HDFs. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that Cur may attenuate UVA‑induced ER stress, inflammation and apoptotic signaling by downregulating the protein expression of glucose‑regulated protein 78, C/EBP‑homologous protein, nuclear factor‑κB and cleaved caspase‑3, while upregulating the expression of Bcl‑2. Additionally, it was demonstrated that Cur may regulate collagen metabolism by decreasing the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑1 and MMP‑3, and may promote the repair of cells damaged as a result of UVA irradiation through increasing the protein expression of transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) and Smad2/3, and decreasing the expression of the TGF‑β inhibitor, Smad7. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate the potential benefits of Cur for the protection of HDFs against UVA‑induced photoaging and highlight the potential for the application of Cur in skin photoprotection.
  20. Synergistic antifungal indolecarbazoles from Streptomyces sp. CNS-42 associated with traditional Chinese medicine Alisma orientale
    Liu M, Huang P, Wang Q, Ren B, Oyeleye A, Liu M, et al.
    J Antibiot (Tokyo), 2017 05;70(5):715-717.
    PMID: 28074054 DOI: 10.1038/ja.2016.160
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