Efficacy and Safety of Sipjeondaebo-Tang for Anorexia in Patients with Cancer: A Pilot, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background. Anorexia occurs in about half of cancer patients and is associated with high mortality rate. However, safe and long-term use of anorexia treatment is still an unmet need. Objective. The purpose of the present study was to examine the feasibility of Sipjeondaebo-tang (Juzen-taiho-to, Shi-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang) for cancer-related anorexia. Methods. A total of 32 participants with cancer anorexia were randomized to either Sipjeondaebo-tang group or placebo group. Participants were given 3 g of Sipjeondaebo-tang or placebo 3 times a day for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was a change in the Anorexia/Cachexia Subscale of Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT). The secondary outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of anorexia, FAACT scale, and laboratory tests. Results. Anorexia and quality of life measured by FAACT and VAS were improved after 4 weeks of Sipjeondaebo-tang treatment. However, there was no significant difference between changes of Sipjeondaebo-tang group and placebo group. Conclusions. Sipjeondaebo-tang appears to have potential benefit for anorexia management in patients with cancer. Further large-scale studies are needed to ensure the efficacy. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02468141

<i>Levilactobacillus brevis</i> MG5311 Alleviates Ethanol-Induced Liver Injury by Suppressing Hepatic Oxidative Stress in C57BL/6 Mice

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), caused by excessive alcohol consumption, leads to high mortality. We investigated the hepatoprotective effect of Levilactobacillus brevis MG5311 in C57BL/6 mice with liver injuries induced by chronic ethanol plus binge feeding. L. brevis MG5311 was administered orally at a dose of 1 × 109 CFU/mouse once daily for 32 days. L. brevis MG5311 administration significantly reduced serum ALT, AST, and triglyceride (TG) levels in ethanol-fed mice. L. brevis MG5311 also decreased malondialdehyde levels and increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in liver tissues. In addition, hepatic TG content and histopathological scores were significantly reduced. L. brevis MG5311 increased the protein expression of SIRT1, PPARα, SOD1, CAT, and GPx 1/2 in liver tissue, while inhibiting CYP2E1 and SREBP-1c. These results indicated that L. brevis MG5311 alleviated ethanol-induced liver injury by inhibiting hepatic oxidative stress and promoting lipid metabolism. Therefore, L. brevis MG5311 may be a useful probiotic candidate for ameliorating or preventing ALD

Porous cellulose paper as a light out coupling medium for organic light-emitting diodes

Porous nanocellulose paper was fabricated and applied as a light outcoupling medium. The nanocellulose papers were prepared using cellulose powder and a high-pressure homogenizing process. The translucent nanocellulose paper had high total transmittance and haze, and gave off diffuse light when the incident light passes through it. Through the application of the fabricated nanocellulose paper on the external surfaces of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices, it was possible not only to enhance the luminous efficiency but also to widen the angular light distribution. As this paper is intrinsically flexible, it can be applied to various forms of light sources bearing curvature

Subregional Shape Alterations in the Amygdala in Patients with Panic Disorder.

The amygdala has been known to play a pivotal role in mediating fear-related responses including panic attacks. Given the functionally distinct role of the amygdalar subregions, morphometric measurements of the amygdala may point to the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying panic disorder. The current study aimed to determine the global and local morphometric alterations of the amygdala related to panic disorder.Volumetric and surface-based morphometric approach to high-resolution three-dimensional T1-weighted images was used to examine the structural variations of the amygdala, with respect to extent and location, in 23 patients with panic disorder and 31 matched healthy individuals.There were no significant differences in bilateral amygdalar volumes between patients with panic disorder and healthy individuals despite a trend-level right amygdalar volume reduction related to panic disorder (right, β = -0.23, p = 0.09, Cohen's d = 0.51; left, β = -0.18, p = 0.19, Cohen's d = 0.45). Amygdalar subregions were localized into three groups including the superficial, centromedial, and laterobasal groups based on the cytoarchitectonically defined probability map. Surface-based morphometric analysis revealed shape alterations in the laterobasal and centromedial groups of the right amygdala in patients with panic disorder (false discovery rate corrected p < 0.05).The current findings suggest that subregion-specific shape alterations in the right amygdala may be involved in the development and maintenance of panic disorder, which may be attributed to the cause or effects of amygdalar hyperactivation

Diagnostic potential of multimodal neuroimaging in posttraumatic stress disorder

<div><p>Despite accumulating evidence of physiological abnormalities related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the current diagnostic criteria for PTSD still rely on clinical interviews. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic potential of multimodal neuroimaging for identifying posttraumatic symptom trajectory after trauma exposure. Thirty trauma-exposed individuals and 29 trauma-unexposed healthy individuals were followed up over a 5-year period. Three waves of assessments using multimodal neuroimaging, including structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted MRI, were performed. Based on previous findings that the structural features of the fear circuitry-related brain regions may dynamically change during recovery from the trauma, we employed a machine learning approach to determine whether local, connectivity, and network features of brain regions of the fear circuitry including the amygdala, orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (OMPFC), hippocampus, insula, and thalamus could distinguish trauma-exposed individuals from trauma-unexposed individuals at each recovery stage. Significant improvement in PTSD symptoms was observed in 23%, 52%, and 88% of trauma-exposed individuals at 1.43, 2.68, and 3.91 years after the trauma, respectively. The structural features of the amygdala were found as major classifiers for discriminating trauma-exposed individuals from trauma-unexposed individuals at 1.43 years after the trauma, but these features were nearly normalized at later phases when most of the trauma-exposed individuals showed clinical improvement in PTSD symptoms. Additionally, the structural features of the OMPFC showed consistent predictive values throughout the recovery period. In conclusion, the current study provides a promising step forward in the development of a clinically applicable predictive model for diagnosing PTSD and predicting recovery from PTSD.</p></div

Reconstruction of Muscle Fascicle-Like Tissues by Anisotropic 3D Patterning

© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbHTissue engineering of skeletal muscle has been proposed as a potential regenerative treatment for extensive muscle damage. In this regard, the highly organized structure of skeletal muscles makes the alignment of cells especially indispensable in muscle tissue engineering. However, achieving the desired alignment continues to prove challenging, particularly in 3D engineered tissue constructs. In this study, a biomimetic approach for the generation of functional skeletal muscle fascicle-like tissues by recapitulating 3D muscle-like cellular and extracellular organization, is demonstrated. Anisotropic 3D alignment of muscle extracellular matrix (MEM) nanofibrils capable of providing a pro-myogenic microenvironment by regulating the kinetics of fibrillogenesis in a stretchable elastomeric chip, is achieved. Reprogrammed muscle progenitor cells develop myofibers along the aligned MEM nanofibrils in a 3D configuration, culminating in the structural and functional maturation of skeletal muscle. The resultant 3D muscle fascicle-like constructs support de novo muscle regeneration and induce functional restoration of injured muscles in animal models inflicted with volumetric muscle loss and congenital muscular dystrophy. This study not only highlights the fundamental roles of the muscle–mimetic structural guidance cues for 3D muscle tissue engineering, but also unveils the clinical potential of artificial muscle constructs in regenerative medicine.11Nsciescopu

Clusters showing significant surface inward deformation in patients with panic disorder relative to healthy controls.

<p>(A) Surface rendering of cytoarchitectonically defined probabilistic maps of the superficial, centromedial, and laterobasal groups of the amygdala transposed onto the amygdalar template is presented. (B) Four clusters of inward deformation related to panic disorder at FDR corrected <i>p</i> < 0.05 are overlaid on the amygdalar template. Bar graphs show that mean surface scaled distance of clusters in the laterobasal and centromedial groups of the amygdala was lower in patients with panic disorder than in healthy individuals. Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals. Abbreviations: FDR, false discovery rate.</p

Anatomical location for the amgydala and hippocampus overlaid on the standard cortical surface and three-dimensional rendering of the amgydalar template.

<p>Abbreviations: R, right; L, left.</p

Multimodal characteristics of the amygdala, OMPFC, hippocampus, insula, and thalamus assessed at each time point.

<p>A set of candidate brain structural features was derived from multimodal neuroimaging data analysis, which comprehensively characterized local, region-wise connectivity, pair-wise connectivity, and network features of the amygdala, orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (OMPFC), hippocampus, insula, and thalamus.</p