Co-administration of indacaterol and tiotropium bromide for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis, and effect on IL-8 and CRP levels

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of indacaterol plus tiotropium bromide in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by bronchiectasis and the impact on IL-8 and C reactive protein (CRP) levels.Methods: Sixty enrolled patients with COPD and bronchiectasis who received treatment in Yantai Qishan Hospital, Yuyan, China from June 2017 to December 2019 were randomly allocated to group A (n = 30) and group B (n = 30). Group A received inhalation of indacaterol plus tiotropium bromide. Group B received only tiotropium bromide inhalation therapy. Therapeutic effects and appropriate serum indicators were compared.Results: Maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMF), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0) levels of the patients were significantly elevated, and group A showed a significantly higher values than group B (p < 0.05). The serum levels of IL-8, CRP, and serum calcitonin (PCT) in both groups were lower than before treatment, but the decrease in group A was significantly greater than that in group B (p < 0.05). The SaO2, PaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 levels in both groups increased, but the increase in group A was higher than that in group B (p < 0.05). Group A showed a significantly lower total incidence of complications than group B (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Indacaterol plus tiotropium bromide produced significant effects in the treatment of COPD with bronchiectasis, which ameliorate lung function and inflammation status in the body and therefore have the potential of being utilized in clinical practice

Anti-bacterial properties of lactoferrin immobilized wool fabric

A new biological cross-linker, microbial transglutaminase (mTGase), has been used to catalyze the immobilization of lactoferrin onto the wool fabrics, and the antibacterial properties of immobilized wool on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria are studied. It is found that the minimal inhibitory concentration of lactoferrin against S·aureus and E·coli is 0.5mg/mL and 0.25mg/mL respectively. As compared to the control sample, the amount of lactoferrin adhered onto the wool fabric improves from 4.87 mg.(g fabric)-1 to 12.96 mg.(g fabric)-1, indicating that the crosslinking reaction initiated by mTGase can increase the amount of lactoferrin fixed onto wool fabric obviously. The ratios of bacteriostasis to S.aureus and E.coli of wool fabrics immobilized with lactoferrin are bound to be 57.95% and 69.96% respectively, showing good antibacterial property

Comparative genomic analysis of pleurotus species reveals insights into the evolution and coniferous utilization of Pleurotus placentodes

Pleurotus placentodes (PPL) and Pleurotus cystidiosus (PCY) are economically valuable species. PPL grows on conifers, while PCY grows on broad-leaved trees. To reveal the genetic mechanism behind PPL’s adaptability to conifers, we performed de novo genome sequencing and comparative analysis of PPL and PCY. We determined the size of the genomes for PPL and PCY to be 36.12 and 42.74 Mb, respectively, and found that they contain 10,851 and 15,673 protein-coding genes, accounting for 59.34% and 53.70% of their respective genome sizes. Evolution analysis showed PPL was closely related to P. ostreatus with the divergence time of 62.7 MYA, while PCY was distantly related to other Pleurotus species with the divergence time of 111.7 MYA. Comparative analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZYmes) in PPL and PCY showed that the increase number of CAZYmes related to pectin and cellulose degradation (e.g., AA9, PL1) in PPL may be important for the degradation and colonization of conifers. In addition, geraniol degradation and peroxisome pathways identified by comparative genomes should be another factors for PPL’s tolerance to conifer substrate. Our research provides valuable genomes for Pleurotus species and sheds light on the genetic mechanism of PPL’s conifer adaptability, which could aid in breeding new Pleurotus varieties for coniferous utilization

Preparation and characterization of a novel aqueous dispersion for enteric coating of pantoprazole sodium pellets

The purpose of this work was to investigate a novel aqueous dispersion (Eudragit® L100-55) for enteric coating of drugs. Three different casting solutions, Eudragit® L100-55 aqueous dispersion, Eudragit® L100-55 organic solution, and Eudragit® L30D-55 aqueous dispersion, were used to prepare free films by the casting method. Drug-loaded pellets, prepared by the extrusion-spheronization method, were coated with one of these three coating solutions using the fluidized-bed spray coating technology. Properties of the free films were thoroughly investigated. Films formed by Eudragit® L100-55 aqueous dispersions showed similar properties to those formed by Eudragit® L100-55 organic solution regarding thermodynamic properties, moisture permeability, solubility and acid tolerance ability. Furthermore, the performance of the novel film was better than that formed by Eudragit® L30D-55 aqueous dispersion. Among the three enteric coating solutions, Eudragit® L100-55 aqueous dispersion will be a promising aqueous dispersion for enteric coating and can be used in the development of enteric-coated preparations

Genome-wide identification and analysis of heterotic loci in three maize hybrids

Heterosis, or hybrid vigour, is a predominant phenomenon in plant genetics, serving as the basis of crop hybrid breeding, but the causative loci and genes underlying heterosis remain unclear in many crops. Here, we present a large-scale genetic analysis using 5360 offsprings from three elite maize hybrids, which identifies 628 loci underlying 19 yield-related traits with relatively high mapping resolutions. Heterotic pattern investigations of the 628 loci show that numerous loci, mostly with complete–incomplete dominance (the major one) or overdominance effects (the secondary one) for heterozygous genotypes and nearly equal proportion of advantageous alleles from both parental lines, are the major causes of strong heterosis in these hybrids. Follow-up studies for 17 heterotic loci in an independent experiment using 2225 F2 individuals suggest most heterotic effects are roughly stable between environments with a small variation. Candidate gene analysis for one major heterotic locus (ub3) in maize implies that there may exist some common genes contributing to crop heterosis. These results provide a community resource for genetics studies in maize and new implications for heterosis in plants

Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate by an improved two-phase reaction system (TPRS)

In our previous paper, we synthesized poly-3-hydroxybutyrate [P(3HB)] by using the water-organic solvent two-phase reaction system (TPRS), in which thiophenyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate [(R)-3HBTP] was used as a precursor of 3HBCoA. We have developed an improved TPRS for the chemo-enzymatic synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). In this method, acetyl thioester of ethyl thioglycolate (AcETG) was used as a precursor of acetylCoA (AcCoA), which was a donor of CoA. The AcCoA was formed by the ester exchange reaction between CoA in the water phase and AcETG in the organic solvent phase. The AcCoA and free 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) in the water phase were converted into 3HBCoA and acetate by a CoA-transfer reaction of propionylCoA transferase (PCT). The synthesized 3HBCoA was polymerized sequentially by PHA synthase, and P(3HB) was successfully formed. The maximal yield of P(3HB) was 1.2 g/l under the optimal reaction condition; this is comparable to that of in vivo PHA production. Furthermore, the number of enzymes was reduced and enzyme preparation was simplified by the construction of a fusion protein, PCT-PhaC. The chemo-enzymatic synthesis of P(3HB-co-3-hydroxypropionate) and P(3HB-co-3-mercaptopropionate) was also achieved by the improved TPRS using the fusion protein

In vitro synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) incorporating lactate (LA) with a block sequence by using a newly engineered thermostable PHA synthase from Pseudomonas sp. SG4502 with acquired LA-polymerizing activity

Recently, we succeeded in isolating a thermotolerant bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. SG4502, which is capable of accumulating polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) even at 55℃, as a source of thermostable enzymes. In this study, we cloned a pha locus from the bacterium and identified two genes encoding PHA synthases (PhaC1_[SG] and PhaC2_[SG]). Two mutations, Ser324Thr and Gln480Lys, corresponding to those of a lactate (LA)-polymerizing enzyme (LPE) from mesophilic Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 were introduced into PhaC1_[SG] to evaluate the potential of the resulting protein as a "thermostable LPE". The mutated PhaC1_[SG] [PhaC1_[SG](STQK)] showed high thermal stability in synthesizing P(LA-co-3HB) in an in vitro reaction system under a range of high temperatures. Requirement of 3HBCoA as a priming unit for LA polymerization by the LPE has been suggested in both of the in vitro and in vivo experiments. Based on the finding, the PhaC1_[SG](STQK)-mediated synthesis of a LA-based copolymer with a block sequence was achieved in the in vitro system by sequential feeding of the corresponding two substrates. This in vitro reaction system using the thermostable LPE provides us with a versatile way to synthesize the various types of LA-based copolymers with desired sequence patterns, random or block, depending on the way of supplying hydroxyalkanoates (mixed or sequential feeding)