With an emphasis on human health, the demand for natural products is progressively increasing and sustainable extraction technologies for phytochemicals are receiving greater attention. In the ...present study, we established a naturally recyclable two-phase aqueous micellar system comprising menthol-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) in water. Typical representative phytochemicals from Ginkgo biloba leaves included flavonoid glycosides, terpene lactones, and bioflavonoids. These compounds have differing polarities and were selected as targets for the evaluation of our novel menthol-based aqueous DES as a green and sustainable extraction technology for partitioning various compounds. Components of the aqueous DES system and extraction process were systematically studied, and the following optimal conditions were identified: menthol–acetic acid ratio of 1:1 (mol/mol), DES–water ratio of 1:1 (v/v), solid–liquid ratio of 15:1 (mg/mL), extraction power of 200 W, and extraction time of 10 min. The two-phase system easily separated compounds with differing polarity into the upper (DES-rich phase) and lower (water phase) phases after extraction. Analyses of the related mechanisms indicated that micelle formation of menthol-based DES in water was the dominant separating process and that this process provided large contact areas between target compounds and extraction solvent, thereby promoting extraction from G. biloba leaves. Moreover, this aqueous DES system could efficiently be recovered and reused in regeneration studies. This novel menthol-based aqueous DES system provides a sustainable extraction technology for various phytochemicals from plant materials.
•The micellar system showed superior extraction yields to conventional solvents.•The micellar system can extract and separate compounds with different polarities.•The system can be recovered and reused easily.•Natural micellar system is green alternative for phytochemicals extraction.
A major feature of neurodegeneration is disruption of central nervous system homeostasis, during which microglia play diverse roles. In the central nervous system, microglia serve as the first line ...of immune defense and function in synapse pruning, injury repair, homeostasis maintenance, and regulation of brain development through scavenging and phagocytosis. Under pathological conditions or various stimulations, microglia proliferate, aggregate, and undergo a variety of changes in cell morphology, immunophenotype, and function. This review presents the features of microglia, especially their diversity and ability to change dynamically, and reinterprets their role as sensors for multiple stimulations and as effectors for brain aging and neurodegeneration. This review also summarizes some therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases that target microglia.
Hypoxia exerts a profound impact on diverse aspects of cancer biology. Increasing evidence has revealed novel functions of hypoxia in cancer cell epigenomics, epitranscriptomics, metabolism, and ...intercellular communication, all hotspots of cancer research. Several drugs have been developed to target intratumoral hypoxia and have entered clinical trials to treat refractory tumors. However, direct targeting of hypoxia signaling still has limitations in the clinic with regard to cancer progression and resistance to therapy. Comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which hypoxia reshapes tumors and their microenvironment, as well as how tumor cells adapt to and thrive in hypoxic conditions, will therefore continue to be a focus of cancer research and will provide new directions for hypoxic tumor treatment.
•PBS polymer showed well performance for real RAS wastewater denitrification.•High nitrate loading was favor to inhibit sulfate reduction and DNRA activity.•Variation in microbial population was ...responsible for changed reactor performance.•Precise carbon release was crucial for RAS denitrification process in practice.
Nitrate removal is essential for the sustainable operation of recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). This study evaluated the heterotrophic denitrification using poly(butylene succinate) as carbon source and biofilm carrier for RAS wastewater treatment. The effect of varied operational conditions (influent type, salinity and nitrate loading) on reactor performance and microbial community was investigated. The high denitrification rates of 0.53±0.19kgNO3−-Nm−3d−1 (salinity, 0‰) and 0.66±0.12kgNO3−-Nm−3d−1 (salinity, 25‰) were achieved, and nitrite concentration was maintained below 1mg/L. In addition, the existence of salinity exhibited more stable nitrate removal efficiency, but caused adverse effects such as excessive effluent dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissimilation nitrate reduce to ammonia (DNRA) activity. The degradation of PBS was further confirmed by SEM and FTIR analysis. Illumina sequencing revealed the abundance and species changes of functional denitrification and degradation microflora which might be the primary cause of varied reactor performance.
Background
Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is an alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) to decrease the risk of stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF); however, ...certain complications remain a concern. Amplatzer Amulet and Watchman are the two most popular used devices for preventing stroke in patients with NVAF. We assessed the safety and efficacy of LAAO using the Amplatzer Amulet and Watchman.
Methods
A meta‐analysis was conducted to compare the safety and efficacy outcomes associated with the use of the Amplatzer Amulet and Watchman 2.5. The Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale has been utilized to assess the quality of study.
Results
The meta‐analysis includes seven studies involving 2926 patients (1418 patients with an amulet and 1508 with a Watchman 2.5). Generally, adverse event rates for both systems were minimal. No significant differences between the two devices were found in safety (pericardial effusion, device embolization, and cardiac tamponade) or efficacy outcomes (death, TIA, stroke, major/minor bleeding, device leak, and thromboembolic events).
Conclusions
The data suggest LAAO is a safe procedure, regardless of which device was used. LAAO devices generally have low complication rates. Outcomes were comparable between the two groups with no significant differences in their safety or efficacy.
Sirtuins (SIRTs) are a class of lysine deacylases that regulate cellular metabolism and energy homeostasis. Although sirtuins have been proposed to function in nutrient sensing and signaling, the ...underlying mechanism remains elusive. SIRT7, a histone H3K18‐specific deacetylase, epigenetically controls mitochondria biogenesis, ribosomal biosynthesis, and DNA repair. Here, we report that SIRT7 is methylated at arginine 388 (R388), which inhibits its H3K18 deacetylase activity. Protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) directly interacts with and methylates SIRT7 at R388 in vitro and in vivo. R388 methylation suppresses the H3K18 deacetylase activity of SIRT7 without modulating its subcellular localization. PRMT6‐induced H3K18 hyperacetylation at SIRT7‐target gene promoter epigenetically promotes mitochondria biogenesis and maintains mitochondria respiration. Moreover, high glucose enhances R388 methylation in mouse fibroblasts and liver tissue. PRMT6 signals glucose availability to SIRT7 in an AMPK‐dependent manner. AMPK induces R388 hypomethylation by disrupting the association between PRMT6 and SIRT7. Together, PRMT6‐induced arginine methylation of SIRT7 coordinates glucose availability with mitochondria biogenesis to maintain energy homeostasis. Our study uncovers the regulatory role of SIRT7 arginine methylation in glucose sensing and mitochondria biogenesis.
Synopsis
PRMT6 methylates and thereby inhibits SIRT7, which epigenetically promotes mitochondria biogenesis and connects it to glucose availability in an AMPK‐dependent manner.
PRMT6 methylates SIRT7 at R388 to suppress its H3K18 deacetylase activity.
PRMT6 modulates SIRT7 methylation in an AMPK‐dependent manner.
SIRT7 methylation connects glucose sensing with mitochondria biogenesis.
PRMT6 methylates and thereby inhibits SIRT7, which epigenetically promotes mitochondria biogenesis and connects it to glucose availability in an AMPK‐dependent manner.
Abstract Objectives There is a lack of evidence regarding the economic effects of nutrition support in patients at nutritional risk. The aim of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis ...by comparing an adequate nutrition support cohort with a no-support cohort. Method A prospective observational study was performed in the surgical and medical gastroenterology wards. We identified patients at nutritional risk and the provision of nutrition support by the staff, unaware of the risk status, was recorded. Cost data were obtained from each patient's statement of accounts, and effectiveness was measured by the rate of infectious complication. To control for potential confounding variables, the propensity score method with matching was carried out. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated based on the matched population. Results We screened 3791 patients, and 440 were recruited for the analysis. Patients in the nutrition support cohort had a lower incidence of infectious complications than those in the no-support cohort (9.1 versus 18.1%; P = 0.007). This result was similar in the 149 propensity matched pairs (9.4 versus 24.2%; P < 0.001). The median hospital length of stay was significantly reduced among the matched nutrition support patients (13 versus 15 d; P < 0.001). The total costs were similar among the matched pairs (US $6219 versus $6161). The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis suggested that nutrition support cost US $392 per patient prevented from having infectious complications. Conclusion Nutrition support was associated with fewer infectious complications and shorter length of stay in patients at nutritional risk. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated that nutrition support had not increased costs significantly.
Background
Tai chi is considered a safe and low‐cost treatment for improving balance ability among an older population. However, there is no existing evidence on the optimal exercise parameters of ...tai chi for improving balance in older adults.
Objectives
To investigate the optimal parameters of a tai chi intervention to improve balance performance of older adults.
Design
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Setting
PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical and China Biology Medicine were searched from inception until November 30, 2020.
Participants
Adults aged 60 years and over.
Measurements
Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of the included studies according to the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Subgroup analyses and meta‐regressions were conducted to elucidate the impact of tai chi training programs on balance measures.
Results
Twenty‐six eligible RCTs were included in the meta‐analysis. Pooled results showed that tai chi has moderate effects for improving proactive balance (weighted mean standardized mean differences SMDwm = 0.61, 95% CI 0.33–0.89) and static steady‐state balance (SMDwm = 0.62, 95% CI 0.30–0.95) and small effects for improving dynamic steady‐state balance (SMDwm = 0.38, 95% CI 0.03–0.73) and balance test batteries (SMDwm = 0.47, 95% CI 0.13–0.81) in adults over 60 years of age. The practice frequency could predict the effects of tai chi on static steady‐state balance, and the 24‐form simplified Yang style tai chi (45–60 min/session, more than four sessions per week and at least 8 weeks) was the most optimal.
Conclusions
Tai chi is effective at improving the balance ability of adults over 60 years of age. A medium duration and high frequency of 24‐form tai chi may be the optimal program for improving balance, but this evidence should be recommended with caution due to limitations of the methodology and small sample sizes.
Purpose
To observe the long-term changes in dry eye symptoms and vision-related quality of life in age-related cataract patients after phacoemulsification.
Methods
A total of 101 cataract patients ...after phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation (Ph-IOL) in one eye were enrolled. Visual acuity, tear film breakup time (BUT), and Schirmer test 1 (ST1) were measured before and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were used to evaluate the severity of dry eye symptoms. Utility values were assessed by the time trade-off (TTO), standard gamble for death (SGD), standard gamble for blindness (SGB) and rating scale (RS).
Results
The average LogMAR visual acuity in the operated eye was 1.35 ± 0.50 and increased rapidly after Ph-IOL, approaching a peak at 3 months (0.26 ± 0.15). The BUT and ST1 results decreased abruptly 1 month after surgery and gradually recovered until 6 months. OSDI scores increased significantly after surgery and gradually decreased until 6 months. Utility values evaluated by TTO, SGD, SGB and RS before surgery were 0.67 ± 0.19, 0.75 ± 0.15, 0.67 ± 0.20 and 0.2 ± 0.18, respectively, and increased to 0.91 ± 0.06, 0.98 ± 0.04, 0.92 ± 0.52 and 0.91 ± 0.06, 6 months after. Utility values measured with TTO, SGB or RS correlated significantly (
P
< 0.05) with visual acuity and OSDI scores pre- and postoperatively.
Conclusions
Dry eye symptoms persist more than 3 months after Ph-IOL. Utility values were negatively influenced by dry eye symptoms.
Inspired by the recent discovery of the doubly charmed tetraquark state
T
cc
+
by the LHCb Collaboration, we perform a systematic study of masses and strong decays of open charm hexaquark states
Σ
c
...(
∗
)
Σ
c
(
∗
)
. Taking into account heavy quark spin symmetry breaking, we predict several bound states of isospin
I
=
0
,
I
=
1
, and
I
=
2
in the one boson exchange model. Moreover, we adopt the effective Lagrangian approach to estimate the decay widths of
Σ
c
(
∗
)
Σ
c
(
∗
)
→
Λ
c
Λ
c
and their relevant ratios via the triangle diagram mechanism, which range from a few MeV to a few tens of MeV. We strongly recommend future experimental searches for the
Σ
c
(
∗
)
Σ
c
(
∗
)
hexaquark states in the
Λ
c
Λ
c
invariant mass distributions.
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