Phytochemical Profiles and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of the Leaves of Zanthoxylum bungeanum

The ethanol crude extracts (ECE) and their subfractions from Zanthoxylum bungeanum leaves were prepared and their phytochemical profiles and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated. Moreover, the effective HPLC procedure for simultaneous quantification of twelve compounds in Z. bungeanum leaves was established. The correlation between the phytochemicals and antioxidant activity was also discussed. The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) had the highest total phenolic (97.29 mmol GAE/100 g) and flavonoid content (67.93 mmol QE/100 g), while the greatest total alkaloid content (4.39 mmol GAE/100 g) was observed in the chloroform fraction (CF). Twelve compounds were quantified by RP-HPLC assay. EAF exhibited the highest content of quercitrin, kaempferol-3-rhamnoside, quercetin, sesamin, and nitidine chloride (125.21, 54.95, 24.36, 26.24, and 0.20 mg/g); acetone fraction (AF) contained the highest content of chlorogenic acid, rutin, hyperoside, and trifolin (5.87, 29.94, 98.33, and 31.24 mg/g), while kaempferol-3-rhamnoside, xanthyletin, and sesamin were rich in CF. EAF and AF exhibited significant DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging abilities and reducing power (FRAP), whereas CF exhibited significant antifungal activity. Moreover, EAF also showed stronger antibacterial activity. In conclusion, Z. bungeanum leaves have health benefits when consumed and could be served as an accessible source for production of functional food ingredients and medicinal exploration

Downshifting and antireflective thin films for solar module power enhancement

Efforts to enhance the solar conversion efficiency have prevailed for decades. There is a growing interest in improving the spectral response of solar modules, especially in harvesting UV photons, which offer intense energy in a narrow wavelength range. To harvest UV photons and reduce reflection without interfering with the formulas and manufacturing process of solar cells, in this work, thin films that possess downshifting and antireflection capabilities were fabricated on the cover glass of multicrystalline Si solar cells. The thin films were composed of graded index layers of europium-doped yttrium orthovanadate (YVO4:Eu) and hollow silica nanoparticles (HSNPs). The design of the composite thin films was assisted by the FDTD mathematical model that simulated the refractive index and thickness of each layer to obtain the optimum transmittance. The cover glass with multifunctional thin films harvested more than 30% of UV photons and enhanced the solar conversion efficiency by 4.12% at normal incidence compared to the uncoated cover glass. © 2021 The Authors1

Case report: EBV-positive epithelioid follicular dendritic cell sarcoma with CD30 expression: a highly challenging diagnosis

IntroductionFollicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare tumor entity with a wide range of anatomical sites and strong heterogeneity in morphology and immunohistochemistry, making it highly susceptible to misdiagnosis. There are two types of FDCS: conventional FDCS and EBV+ inflammatory FDCS. It is currently suggested that the former has nothing to do with EBV infection. Moreover, they have distinctively different clinicopathological characteristics.Case descriptionA 69-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital after 4 months of progressive enlargement of the neck mass. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) examination showed multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the body. After cervical lymph node excision and biopsy, it was found that the tumor cells were epithelioid and diffusely expressed EBER and CD30. It was initially diagnosed as poorly differentiated cancer and lymphoma. In subsequent differential diagnosis, we found that it strongly stained CD21 and CD23, which was approved the diagnosis of EBV+ FDCS.ConclusionEpithelioid FDCS is very rare. EBV-positive FDCS with abnormal expression of CD30 has not been reported. Whether EBV also plays an important role in conventional FDCS requires more cases to be verified. Our case provides valuable research clues for further understanding the pathological characteristics of this tumor entity

On the Unusual Amber Coloration of Nanoporous Sol-gel Processed Al-doped Silica Glass: An Experimental Study

Silica is the most abundant component on the earth’s surface. It plays an important role in many natural processes. Silica is also a critical material for a wide range of technical applications such as in optics and electronics. In this work, we discuss our recent experimental observation of the unusual amber coloration of aluminum doped sol-gel glass that has not been reported in the past. We characterized Al-doped sol-gel glasses, prepared at different sintering temperature, using a plethora of techniques to investigate the origin of this unusual coloration and to understand their structural and chemical properties. We used these experimental results to test a number of possible coloring mechanisms. The results suggested this coloring is likely caused by temperature-dependent aluminum-associated defect centers associated with different amorphous-to-crystalline ratios of the annealed sol-gel silica glass structures

Deletion of the Complement C5a Receptor Alleviates the Severity of Acute Pneumococcal Otitis Media following Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice

There is considerable evidence that influenza A virus (IAV) promotes adherence, colonization, and superinfection by S. pneumoniae (Spn) and contributes to the pathogenesis of otitis media (OM). The complement system is a critical innate immune defense against both pathogens. To assess the role of the complement system in the host defense and the pathogenesis of acute pneumococcal OM following IAV infection, we employed a well-established transtympanically-induced mouse model of acute pneumococcal OM. We found that antecedent IAV infection enhanced the severity of acute pneumococcal OM. Mice deficient in complement C1qa (C1qa−/−) or factor B (Bf −/−) exhibited delayed viral and bacterial clearance from the middle ear and developed significant mucosal damage in the eustachian tube and middle ear. This indicates that both the classical and alternative complement pathways are critical for the oto-immune defense against acute pneumococcal OM following influenza infection. We also found that Spn increased complement activation following IAV infection. This was characterized by sustained increased levels of anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a in serum and middle ear lavage samples. In contrast, mice deficient in the complement C5a receptor (C5aR) demonstrated enhanced bacterial clearance and reduced severity of OM. Our data support the concept that C5a-C5aR interactions play a significant role in the pathogenesis of acute pneumococcal OM following IAV infection. It is possible that targeting the C5a-C5aR axis might prove useful in attenuating acute pneumococcal OM in patients with influenza infection

Dietary Isothiocyanates: Novel Insights into the Potential for Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Diet plays an important role in health. A high intake of plant chemicals such as glucosinolates/isothiocyanates can promote optimal health and decrease the risk of cancer. Recent research has discovered more novel mechanisms of action for the effects of isothiocyanates including the modulation of tumor microenvironment, the inhibition of the self-renewal of stem cells, the rearrangement of multiple pathways of energy metabolism, the modulation of microbiota, and protection against Helicobacter pylori. However, the hormetic/biphasic effects of isothiocyanates may make the recommendations complicated. Isothiocyanates possess potent anti-cancer activities based on up-to-date evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies. The nature of hormesis suggests that the benefits or risks of isothiocyanates largely depend on the dose and endpoint of interest. Isothiocyanates are a promising class of cancer-preventative phytochemicals, but researchers should be aware of the potential adverse (and hormetic) effects. In the authors’ opinion, dietary isothiocyanates are better used as adjunctive treatments in combination with known anti-cancer drugs. The application of nano-formulations and the delivery of isothiocyanates are also discussed in this review

Gut microbial composition changes in bladder cancer patients: A case-control study in Harbin, China

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the changes of gut bacteria in bladder cancer patients. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients were recruited. All participants completed a questionnaire about personal behavior and diet. Pyrosequencing of the total genomic DNA extracted from human feces was carried out by Illumina HiSeq 2000. The copy number of target DNA for bacteria was determined by real-time quantitative PCR assay. Fecal short chain fatty acids contents were measured by gas chromatography (GC) analysis. The concentrations of lipopolysaccharide and D-lactic acid in serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. RESULTS: Fruit intake was significantly lower than in healthy controls. The numbers of Clostridium cluster XI and Prevotella in bladder cancer patients decreased. The numbers of domain bacteria and Prevotella were significantly and positively associated with fruit intake (r=0.002, p<0.05 for domain bacteria; r=0.004, p<0.05 for Prevotella). The concentration of butyric acid decreased significantly in bladder cancer patients, and the quantities of fecal butyric acid were significantly and positively associated with fruit intake (r=0.610, p<0.01). The concentrations of lipopolysaccharide and D-lactic acid, two sensitive markers of gut permeability, were greater in bladder cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: Dysbiosis of gut microbiota, decreased butyric acid concentrations and impaired intestinal structural integrity were found in bladder cancer patients, which might be associated with inadequate fruit intake

Heart–brain interaction in cardiogenic dementia: pathophysiology and therapeutic potential

Diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiovascular and neurologic diseases primarily focus on the heart and brain, respectively. An increasing number of preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed a causal relationship between heart and brain diseases. Cardiogenic dementia is a cognitive impairment caused by heart dysfunction and has received increasing research attention. The prevention and treatment of cardiogenic dementia are essential to improve the quality of life, particularly in the elderly and aging population. This study describes the changes in cognitive function associated with coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and heart valve disease. An updated understanding of the two known pathogenic mechanisms of cardiogenic dementia is presented and discussed. One is a cascade of events caused by cerebral hypoperfusion due to long-term reduction of cardiac output after heart disease, and the other is cognitive impairment regardless of the changes in cerebral blood flow after cardiac injury. Furthermore, potential medications for the prevention and treatment of cardiogenic dementia are reviewed, with particular attention to multicomponent herbal medicines