Although several strategies have been applied for oral insulin delivery to improve insulin bioavailability, little success has been achieved. To overcome multiple barriers to oral insulin absorption ...simultaneously, insulin-loaded N-trimethyl chitosan chloride (TMC)-coated polylactide-co-glycoside (PLGA) nanoparticles (Ins TMC-PLGA NPs) were formulated in our study. The Ins TMC-PLGA NPs were prepared using the double-emulsion solvent evaporation method and were characterized to determine their size (247.6 ± 7.2 nm), ζ-potential (45.2 ± 4.6 mV), insulin-loading capacity (7.8 ± 0.5%) and encapsulation efficiency (47.0 ± 2.9%). The stability and insulin release of the nanoparticles in enzyme-containing simulated gastrointestinal fluids suggested that the TMC-PLGA NPs could partially protect insulin from enzymatic degradation. Compared with unmodified PLGA NPs, the positively charged TMC-PLGA NPs could improve the mucus penetration of insulin in mucus-secreting HT29-MTX cells, the cellular uptake of insulin via clathrin- or adsorption-mediated endocytosis in Caco-2 cells and the permeation of insulin across a Caco-2 cell monolayer through tight junction opening. After oral administration in mice, the TMC-PLGA NPs moved more slowly through the gastrointestinal tract compared with unmodified PLGA NPs, indicating the mucoadhesive property of the nanoparticles after TMC coating. Additionally, in pharmacological studies in diabetic rats, orally administered Ins TMC-PLGA NPs produced a stronger hypoglycemic effect, with 2-fold higher relative pharmacological availability compared with unmodified NPs. In conclusion, oral insulin absorption is improved by TMC-PLGA NPs with the multiple absorption barriers overcome simultaneously. TMC-PLGA NPs may be a promising drug delivery system for oral administration of macromolecular therapeutics.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in non-overweight/obese people is insidiously associated with cardiovascular disease. Novel anthropometric indices can reflect central obesity better than the traditional ...anthropometric indices. Therefore, we hypothesize that these newly developed anthropometric indices can better identify MetS in non-overweight/obese people than conventional indices.
Cross-sectional data of sociodemographic, biochemical and anthropometric indices were collected from 2916 non-overweight/obese Chinese people. A body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) and abdominal volume index (AVI) were calculated. Partial correlation analysis was used to clarify the correlation between anthropometric indices and MetS variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the association between anthropometric indices and MetS and its components. Receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to identify the diagnostic ability of anthropometric indices for MetS and its components. The area under curve (AUC) difference between WHtR and each new anthropometric index was compared in pairs.
After adjusting for covariates, AVI had the optimal ability of identifying MetS (AUC: 0.743 for male, 0.819 for female) and the strongest correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (coe: - 0.227 for male, - 0.207 for female) and the highest odds rations (OR) with low HDL-C group (male: OR = 1.37, female: OR = 1.55). The WHtR was comparable to BRI in assessing MetS (AUC: 0.739 for male, 0.817 for female). WHtR or BRI could also well identify hypertension (AUC: 0.602 for male, 0.688 for female) and dysglycemia (AUC: 0.669 for male, 0.713 for female) and female's high triglyceride level (AUC 0.712). The recognition ability of the two was equivalent. The ability of ABSI and WWI to identify MetS was weak.
AVI is the optimal anthropometric indices to identify MetS in non-overweight/obese Chinese adults. BRI and WHtR can also be considered as discriminators, while ABSI and WWI are weak discriminators. WHtR is easy to measure. So, it is recommended as an early preliminary screening method for the MetS in non-overweight/obese people.
Periodontitis is an infectious oral disease, which leads to the destruction of periodontal tissues and tooth loss. Although the treatment of periodontitis has improved recently, the effective ...treatment of periodontitis and the periodontitis-affected periodontal tissues is still a challenge. Therefore, it is urgent to explore new therapeutic strategies for periodontitis. Natural products show anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and bone protective effects to periodontitis and most of these natural products are safe and cost-effective. Among these, the plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs), a type of natural nanocarriers repleted with lipids, proteins, RNAs, and other active molecules, show the ability to enter mammalian cells and regulate cellular activities. Reports from the literature indicate the great potential of PELNs in the regulation of immune functions, inflammation, microbiome, and tissue regeneration. Moreover, PELNs can also be used as drug carriers to enhance drug stability and cellular uptake
in vivo
. Since regulation of immune function, inflammation, microbiome, and tissue regeneration are the key phenomena usually targeted during periodontitis treatment, the PELNs hold the promising potential for periodontitis treatment. This review summarizes the recent advances in PELNs-related research that are related to the treatment of periodontitis and regeneration of periodontitis-destructed tissues and the underlying mechanisms. We also discuss the existing challenges and prospects of the application of PELNs-based therapeutic approaches for periodontitis treatment.
A selective and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) method was established and validated for the determination of ziyuglycoside I, ...3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic-acid 28-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, and pomolic acid in rats after the oral administration of ziyuglycoside I, 3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic-acid 28-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, pomolic acid, and Sanguisorba officinalis L. extract. The separation was carried out on an ACQUITY UPLC®HSS T3 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 1.8 μm), using methanol and 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate water as the mobile phase. The three compounds were quantified using the multiple reaction monitoring mode with the electrospray ion source in both the positive and negative mode. Liquid-liquid extraction was applied to the plasma sample preparation. Bifendate was selected as the internal standard. The intra-day and inter-day precision and the accuracy of the method were all within receivable ranges. The lower limit of quantification of ziyuglycoside I, 3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic-acid 28-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, and pomolic acid were 6.50, 5.75, and 2.63 ng/mL, respectively. The extraction recoveries of analytes in rat plasma ranged from 83 to 94%. The three components could be rapidly absorbed into the blood (Tmax, 1.4–1.6 h) both in the single-administration group or S. officinalis extract group, but the first peak of PA occurred at 0.5 h and the second peak at 4–5 h in the S. officinalis extract. Three compounds were eliminated relatively slowly (t1/2, 7.3–11 h). The research was to establish a rapid, sensible, and sensitive UHPLC–MS/MS method using the multi-ion mode for multi-channel simultaneous mensuration pharmacokinetics parameters of three compounds in rats after oral administration of S. officinalis extract. This study found, for the first time, differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters of the three compounds in the monomer compounds and S. officinalis extract administration, which preliminarily revealed the transformation and metabolism of the three compounds in vivo.
Concerns regarding adverse effects of metal/metalloids exposure on brain development and neurological disorders among children are increasing. However, the transport patterns of metals/metalloids ...across the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) need to be clarified in children. A total of 99 Chinese pediatric patients were enrolled from February 2020 to August 2021, with a median age of 6.76 months. We detected 16 metal/metalloid levels in matched serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The BCSFB permeability of metals/metalloids were estimated and the potential effects of biomedical parameters were explored. Most metals/metalloids were detectable among > 80.0% of CSF samples. Significant correlations were observed between strontium (Sr, r = 0.46), molybdenum (Mo, r = 0.50), and cadmium (Cd, r = 0.24) concentrations in serum and CSF (P < 0.05). Ratios of metal/metalloid levels in CSF to serum (Rmetal) ranged from 0.02 to 0.74, and hazardous metals/metalloids including arsenic (As), Cd, lead (Pb), thallium (Tl), and manganese (Mn) showed high transfer efficiencies across the BCSFB (Rmetals > 0.5). With the adjustment of age and sex, albumin, β2-microglobulin, and total protein levels in CSF were positively associated with copper (Cu) permeability (FDR-adjusted P < 0.05), while glucose in CSF was negatively correlated with calcium (Ca), Cu, Sr, and Mo BCSFB permeability (FDR-adjusted P < 0.05). Q-Alb promoted Cu permeability across the BCSFB (FDR-adjusted P < 0.001), while C-reactive protein levels in serum were positively associated with selenium (Se) permeability (FDR-adjusted P = 0.046). For the first time, our findings provided data for the BCSFB permeability of 16 metals/metalloids in children, and indicated that some biomedical parameters could influence the transformation of metals/metalloids from serum to CSF. Metals/metalloids with strong BCSFB permeability warrant attention for their potential neurotoxicity.
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•Most metals/metalloids were detectable in > 80.0% of the CSF samples.•Levels of Sr, Mo, and Cd in serum were correlated with those in the CSF samples.•As, Cd, Pb, Tl, and Mn showed a high BCSFB permeability in pediatric patients.•CSF Parameters and serum CRP levels are related to the BCSFB permeability of metals.
On the Loess Plateau, unfavorable late-sowing conditions often arise due to late harvests from the previous season or excessive rainfall during the sowing season, which can delay seed germination, ...reduce tiller numbers, and decrease winter wheat yields. Few studies have explored whether plastic mulching (PM) can mitigate the adverse effects of late sowing. Consequently, we conducted a 3-year field experiment from 2017 to 2020 on the Loess Plateau combining two mulching conditions PM and no mulching (NPM) and three sowing times (normal, 10-day late, and 20-day late sowing). We investigated the combined influence of sowing time and mulching conditions on soil hydrothermal status, crop water productivity (WP), and yield. The results revealed that delayed sowing significantly prolonged emergence times and decreased tiller numbers, leaf area index (LAI), root biomass, and aboveground biomass (AGB). The PM increased soil temperatures, advancing wheat emergence and increasing tiller numbers. Plants under PM had higher LAI, root biomass, and AGB than those under NPM. Moreover, PM reduced ineffective transpiration by accelerating the degradation of ineffective tillers, resulting in higher yields without a corresponding increase in evapotranspiration. The beneficial effects extended to spike numbers, thousand-grain weight, and harvest index. Specifically, PM combined with 10-day late sowing increased yield by 12.8 % compared to NPM combined with normal sowing. Furthermore, under 20-day late sowing, PM mitigated yield losses, reducing them from a 28.7 % decline under NPM to a 12.8 % decline when compared to normal sowing under NPM. We conclude that PM completed compensated for the yield loss under 10-day late sowing and partially alleviated losses under 20-day late sowing. Therefore, combining 10-day late sowing (accumulated air temperature before winter > 430 °C d) with PM was the optimal approach for simultaneously improving yield and WP in winter wheat seasons with unfavorable late-sowing conditions.
•High early tiller count under plastic mulch (PM) benefited dry matter accumulation.•PM synergistically enhanced the yield and water productivity of late-sown wheat.•PM reduced ineffective transpiration by hastening ineffective tiller degradation.•PM combined with 10-day late sowing was optimal for wheat production.
Forced vital capacity (FVC) reflects respiratory health, but the long-term trend and heterogeneity in FVC of Chinese students were understudied.
Data were from Chinese National Survey on Students' ...Constitution and Health 1985-2019. Super Imposition by Translation and Rotation model was used to draw FVC growth curves. Sex-, region-, and nationality-heterogeneity in FVC was evaluated. Spearman correlation and generalized additive model was used to reveal influencing factors for FVC.
Compared to 1985, age at peak FVC velocity was 1.09, 3.17, 0.74, and 1.87 years earlier for urban male, urban female, rural male, and rural female in 2019, respectively. Peak FVC velocity first decreased and then increased during 1985-2019, only male rebounded to larger than 1985 level. FVC declined from 1985 to 2005 and then raised. Males consistently had higher FVC than females, with disparities increasing in the 13-15 age group. Urban students also had higher FVC than rural students. In 2019, FVC difference between 30 Chinese provinces and the national average showed four scenarios: consistently above national average; less than national average until age 18, then above; greater than national average until age 18, then this advantage reversed; less than national average in almost all the age. Most Chinese ethnic minority students had lower FVC levels compared to Han students. Spearman correlation and generalized additive model showed that age, sex, and height were the leading influencing factors of FVC, followed by socioeconomic and environmental factors.
Chinese students experienced advanced FVC spurt, and there was sex-, region- and nationality-heterogeneity in FVC. Routine measurement of FVC is necessary in less developed areas of China.
CoFe/C core–shell structured nanocomposites (CoFe@C) have been fabricated through the thermal decomposition of acetylene with CoFe
2
O
4
as precursor. The as-prepared CoFe@C was characterized by ...X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results demonstrate that the carbon shell in CoFe@C has a poor crystallization with a thickness about 5–30 nm and a content approximately 48.5 wt.%. Due to a good combination between intrinsic magnetic properties and high-electrical conductivity, the CoFe@C exhibits not only excellent absorption intensity but also wide frequency bandwidth. The minimum RL value of CoFe@C can reach − 44 dB at a thickness of 4.0 mm, and RL values below − 10 dB is up to 4.3 GHz at a thickness of 2.5 mm. The present CoFe@C may be a potential candidate for microwave absorption application.
The incidence of colon cancer is increasing year over year, seriously affecting human health and quality of life in recent years. However, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been utilized for the ...treatment of colon cancer.
Saponins (
), the potential compound of TCM, displays multiple biological activities in colon cancer treatment. In our study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis were performed to analyze and identify raw and processed saponins. Then, MTT and cell migration assays were used to preliminarily explore the effects of saponins in vitro on colon cancer cells. The results showed that 29 differential saponins compounds under
were identified by UHPLC-MS/MS. Moreover, in vitro validation showed that
better inhibited the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells than
. This study provides a basis for the determination of the chemical fundamentals of the efficacy changes during
through inferring the changes in saponin components and its possible transformation mechanisms before and after processing
. Meanwhile, it also provides new insights into potential bioactive ingredients for the treatment of colon cancer.
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