The influence of rhizobacteria on the competition between native and invasive Lespedeza

In order to study the effect of bacteria from root nodules on plant competition, two greenhouse experiments were conducted. Seven rhizobia and five non-rhizobia rhizobacteria strains were used to determine how plant-microbe interactions affect the competition between invasive Lespedeza cuneata and its native relative, Lespedeza virginica. Different rhizobia strains showed different impacts on the competition between L. cuneata and L. virginica. A relatively fast-growing Mesorhizobium strain and one of the Rhizobium strains showed low nodulation rate and no significant effect on the two plant species. All three Bradyrhizobium strains and two of the Rhizobium strains showed positive effects on the growth of L. cuneata, but they do not have the effect on the growth of L. virginica, so I conclude that invasive L. cuneata benefited more from the plant-rhizobacteria symbiosis relationship. This result emphasizes the influence of belowground interactions on the aboveground community. The finding that rhizobacteria mutualism can support the invasion of L. cuneata provides another perspective to invasion studies of L. cuneata

Improved method for synthesis of cysteine modified hyaluronic acid for in situ hydrogel formation

We developed a new strategy for the functionalization of hyaluronic acid by chemical modification of its C-6 hydroxyl groups through an ether bond to obtain a cysteine-hyaluronic acid conjugate. This conjugate is suitable to prepare injectable and in situ formed hydrogels cross-linked by native chemical ligation and Michael addition under mild conditions

A Closed-Loop Autologous Erythrocyte-Mediated Delivery Platform for Diabetic Nephropathy Therapy

Failure to control blood glucose level (BGL) may aggravate oxidative stress and contribute to the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Using erythrocytes (ERs) as the carriers, a smart self-regulatory insulin (INS) release system was constructed to release INS according to changes in BGLs to improve patients’ compliance and health. To overcome the limited sources of ERs and decrease the risk of transmitting infections, we developed an in vitro, closed-loop autologous ER-mediated delivery (CAER) platform, based on a commercial hemodialysis instrument modified with a glucose-responsive ER-based INS delivery system (GOx-INS@ER). After the blood was drained via a jugular vein cannula, some of the blood was pumped into the CAER platform. The INS was packed inside the autologous ERs in the INS reactor, and then their surface was modified with glucose oxidase (GOx), which acts as a glucose-activated switch. In vivo, the CAER platform showed that the BGL responsively controlled INS release in order to control hyperglycemia and maintain the BGL in the normal range for up to 3 days; plus, there was good glycemic control without the added burden of hemodialysis in DN rabbits. These results demonstrate that this closed-loop extracorporeal hemodialysis platform provides a practical approach for improving diabetes management in DN patients

Use of Chinese herbal medicines for acute cough in China: an online survey

Introduction: anti-microbial resistance is a complex and evolving global public health threat. Promoting effective alternative treatments is an important way to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics. This study aimed to identify the use of treatments for acute cough in China, including Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) and their association with avoidance of antibiotics and participants’ reported clinical recovery. Methods: an online retrospective treatment outcome survey was conducted. Retrospective clinical information was collected on participants who either were experiencing acute cough, or had experienced acute cough in the last 3 months. Participants were recruited through WeChat (a QR code or a link to the online survey), using snowball sampling. We analysed the usage of different CHMs, changes in symptoms as measured by Likert scales and subsequent use of antibiotics. Results: a total of 25,583 participants completed the online questionnaire, covering all 34 province-level administrative units in China. Respondents had a median age of 25 years (73.5%, aged 18–39). Most respondents reported sputum (65.8%). Nearly half of the participants (45.3%) reported using antibiotics, 39.4% using CHMs, 27.1% and 20.9% using non-antibiotic Western medications and home remedies respectively. Fewer participants took antibiotics after taking CHMs (14.4%), compared to those who started with home remedies (17.6%), or non-antibiotic Western medications (24.5%). The recommendation of doctors (62.4%) and pharmacies (32.1%) were the most common reason for choosing CHMs. Participant-reported clinical recovery was similar (same median of 4 on a 1–5 Likert self-rating scale) regardless of type of CHM. The five CHMs associated with the lowest proportions of subsequent antibiotic use were individualised Chinese herbal formulae, Xiao Qing Long granule, Xian Zhu Li liquid, Chuan Bei Pi Pa Gao and Shi Wu Wei Long Dan Hua pill. The most commonly used herbs in the Chinese patent medicines were Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizome, Platycodonis radix, Pinelliae rhizome, Armeniacae semen amarum, Ephedrae herba, and Citri reticulatae pericarpium. Conclusion: almost 40% of participants with acute cough used CHMs. The proportion of participants who subsequently used antibiotics after CHMs was lower than other treatments. CHMs have a potential role for symptom relief thus reducing antibiotic use.</p

Use of Chinese herbal medicines with acute cough in China: an online survey

Introduction: anti-microbial resistance is a complex and evolving global public health threat. Promoting effective alternative treatments is an important way to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics. This study aimed to identify the use of treatments for acute cough in China, including Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) and their association with avoidance of antibiotics and participants’ reported clinical recovery.Methods: an online retrospective treatment outcome survey was conducted. Retrospective clinical information was collected on participants who either were experiencing acute cough, or had experienced acute cough in the last 3 months. Participants were recruited through WeChat (a QR code or a link to the online survey), using snowball sampling. We analysed the usage of different CHMs, changes in symptoms as measured by Likert scales and subsequent use of antibiotics.Results: a total of 25,583 participants completed the online questionnaire, covering all 34 province-level administrative units in China. Respondents had a median age of 25 years (73.5%, aged 18–39). Most respondents reported sputum (65.8%). Nearly half of the participants (45.3%) reported using antibiotics, 39.4% using CHMs, 27.1% and 20.9% using non-antibiotic Western medications and home remedies respectively. Fewer participants took antibiotics after taking CHMs (14.4%), compared to those who started with home remedies (17.6%), or non-antibiotic Western medications (24.5%). The recommendation of doctors (62.4%) and pharmacies (32.1%) were the most common reason for choosing CHMs. Participant-reported clinical recovery was similar (same median of 4 on a 1–5 Likert self-rating scale) regardless of type of CHM. The five CHMs associated with the lowest proportions of subsequent antibiotic use were individualised Chinese herbal formulae, Xiao Qing Long granule, Xian Zhu Li liquid, Chuan Bei Pi Pa Gao and Shi Wu Wei Long Dan Hua pill. The most commonly used herbs in the Chinese patent medicines were Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizome, Platycodonis radix, Pinelliae rhizome, Armeniacae semen amarum, Ephedrae herba, and Citri reticulatae pericarpium.Conclusion: almost 40% of participants with acute cough used CHMs. The proportion of participants who subsequently used antibiotics after CHMs was lower than other treatments. CHMs have a potential role for symptom relief thus reducing antibiotic use

Surface expression of protein A on magnetosomes and capture of pathogenic bacteria by magnetosome/antibody complexes

Magnetosomes are membrane-enclosed magnetite nanocrystals synthesized by magnetotactic bacteria (MTB). They display chemical purity, narrow size ranges, and species-specific crystal morphologies. Specific transmembrane proteins are sorted to the magnetosome membrane (MM). MamC is the most abundant MM protein of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense strain MSR-1. MamF is the second most abundant MM protein of MSR-1 and forms stable oligomers. We expressed staphylococcal protein A (SPA), an immunoglobulin-binding protein from the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus, on MSR-1 magnetosomes by fusion with MamC or MamF. The resulting recombinant magnetosomes were capable of self-assembly with the Fc region of mammalian antibodies (Abs) and were therefore useful for functionalization of magnetosomes. Recombinant plasmids pBBR-mamC-spa and pBBR-mamF-spa were constructed by fusing spa (the gene that encodes SPA) with mamC and mamF, respectively. Recombinant magnetosomes with surface expression of SPA were generated by introduction of these fusion genes into wild-type MSR-1 or a mamF mutant strain. Studies with a Zeta Potential Analyzer showed that the recombinant magnetosomes had hydrated radii significantly smaller than those of WT magnetosomes and zeta potentials less than -30 mV, indicating that the magnetosome colloids were relatively stable. Observed conjugation efficiencies were as high as 71.24 µg Ab per mg recombinant magnetosomes, and the conjugated Abs retained most of their activity. Numbers of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (a common pathogenic bacterium in seafood) captured by recombinant magnetosome/ Ab complexes were measured by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR. One mg of complex was capable of capturing as many as 1.74×107 Vibrio cells. The surface expression system described here will be useful for design of functionalized magnetosomes from MSR-1 and other MTB

Evidence base of randomized controlled trials and guideline recommendations of patent Traditional Chinese Medicines for uncomplicated acute lower respiratory tract infections in adults

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical practice guideline recommendations on the use of oral patent Traditional Chinese Medicines (PTCMs) for uncomplicated acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) in adults with the existing evidence using results of a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A systematic review on RCTs and a systematic review of current guidelines on orally taken PTCMs for uncomplicated ALRTIs were performed. PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and four Chinese databases were searched from inception to September 2016 for RCTs testing orally taken PTCMs for uncomplicated ALRTIs (excluding pneumonia). Two reviewers independently screened each study, extracted study data, and assessed risk of bias. Disagreements were resolved through discussion or by consultation with a third reviewer. Clinical practice guidelines for uncomplicated ALRTIs containing PTCM recommendations were identified and quality appraised. The quality of pooled evidence of the RCTs and the guidelines was assessed with GRADE and AGREE � respectively. The consistency of the evidence base in RCTs and the guideline recommendations were then compared. RESULTS: For the systematic review of RCTs, 4810 papers were identified, among which 29 RCTs (5093 patients) were included in the review. PTCMs compared to placebo increased the effective treatment rate of cough (3 trials, 949 patients, risk ratio (RR) 2.50, 1.16 to 5.43; low certainty); improved assessment of global health (3 trials, 948 patients, RR 1.70, 1.44 to 2.01; low certainty); and increased the effective rate of specific symptom relief (1 trial, 478 patients, RR 4.01, 2.76 to 5.81; moderate certainty). 21 trials (3432 patients) compared effects of different PTCMs. For the guideline evaluation, 29 PTCMs were recommended for the use of uncomplicated ALRTIs, of which27 had no supportive evidence from RCTs. CONCLUSION: The evidence base of PTCMs for uncomplicated ALRTIs is weak and the guideline recommendations were based on almost no clinical trial evidence. Rigorous clinical research is urgently needed to inform the clinical use of these herbal medicines. Further training in evidence-based medicine methods for Traditional Chinese Medicine guideline developers is essential.</p

Shufeng Jiedu capsules for treating acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Chinese herbal medicine is widely used in combination with usual care for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in China. Shufeng Jiedu capsule (SFJD) is a Chinese patent medicine. The effectiveness and safety of SFJD for AECOPD remains uncertain.Methods: A systematic review of randomized control trials was performed. We included trials in patients diagnosed with AECOPD, who received SFJD as a single intervention or in combination with usual treatment. PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL and four Chinese databases were searched from inception to April 2019. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted study data and assessed risk of bias. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. We performed subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses according to the predefined protocol. Quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE.Results: 13 RCTs (1,036 patients, of which 936 were inpatients) were included. The mean age ranged from 52 to 67 and approximately 60% of patients were male. These RCTs had a high risk of bias due to lack of blinding and other factors. SFJD combined with usual care (including antimicrobials) compared to usual care alone was associated with a significant reduction in treatment failure, from 20.1% to 8.3% (11 trials; 815 patients; relative risk 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30 to 0.62) and duration of hospital admission (2 trials; 79 patients; mean difference -4.35 days, 95% CI -5.28 to -3.43 days; low certainty ). Low or very low certainty evidence suggested benefit from SFJD compared to controls in terms of PaCO2, PaO2, FEV1/FVC ratio, clinical symptoms, white cell counts, inflammatory markers and health related quality of life. No significant difference in adverse events was found in a pooled analysis. Conclusion: For hospitalized adults with AECOPD, SFJD may reduce treatment failure, shorten hospital stay, and improve symptoms and signs. However, the quality of the evidence is very low to low due to the potential risk of bias and inconsistency among included trials. Further large, high quality RCTs are needed

Acupuncture techniques for COPD: a systematic review

Background This is the second part of a large spectrum systematic review which aims to identify and assess the evidence for the efficacy of non-pharmacological acupuncture techniques in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The results of all techniques except for filiform needle are described in this publication. Methods Eleven different databases were screened for randomised controlled trials up to June 2019. Authors in pairs extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias independently. RevMan 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. Results Thirty-three trials met the inclusion criteria, which involved the follow techniques: AcuTENS (7 trials), moxibustion (11 trials), acupressure (7 trials), ear acupuncture (6 trials), acupressure and ear acupuncture combined (1 trial) and cupping (1 trial). Due to the great heterogeneity, only 7 meta-analysis could be performed (AcuTENS vs sham on quality of life and exercise capacity, acupressure vs no acupressure on quality of life and anxiety and ear acupuncture vs sham on FEV1 and FEV1/FVC) with only acupressure showing statistical differences for quality of life (SMD: -0.63 95%CI: − 0.88, − 0.39 I2 = 0%) and anxiety (HAM-A scale MD:-4.83 95%CI: − 5.71, − 3.94 I2 = 0%). Conclusions Overall, strong evidence in favour of any technique was not found. Acupressure could be beneficial for dyspnoea, quality of life and anxiety, but this is based on low quality trials. Further large well-designed randomised control trials are needed to elucidate the possible role of acupuncture techniques in the treatment of COPD