Association between vitamin B1 intake and hyperuricemia in adults.

Studies investigating the relationship between dietary vitamin B1 intake and risk of Hyperuricemia (HU) are scarce, the present study aimed to examine the association of dietary vitamin B1 intake and HU among adults. This cross-sectional study included 5750 adults whose data derived from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from March 2017 to March 2020. The dietary intake of vitamin B1 was assessed using 24-h dietary recall interviews. The characteristics of study participants were grouped into five levels according to the levels of vitamin B1 quintile. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of HU, according to the vitamin B1 intake quintile for male and female separately. The dose-response relationship was determined by the restricted cubic spline (RCS). Smoothed curve fitting was used to assess serum uric acid concentration versus dietary vitamin B1 intake in the study population. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 18.90% (20.15% and 17.79% for males and females, respectively) in the United States from March 2017 to March 2020. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that in the male population, the HU ratio (OR) of vitamin B1 intake in Q2 to Q5 compared with the lowest quintile (Q1) was 0.75 (95% CI 0.52, 1.09), 0.70 (95% CI 0.48, 1.02), 0.66 (95% CI 0.44, 0.99) and 0.55 (95% CI 0.34, 0.90). The P for trend was 0.028. In women, the ORs for vitamin B1 intake Q2 to Q5 were 0.87 (95% CI 0.64, 1.19), 0.97 (0.68-1.38), 1.05 (0.69-1.60) and 0.75 (0.42-1.34), respectively. The P for trend was 0.876. The RCS curve revealed a linear relationship between vitamin B1 intake and the risk of hyperuricemia in men (P nonlinear = 0.401). Smoothed curve fitting demonstrated a negative association between vitamin B1 intake and serum uric acid concentration in men, whereas there was no significant association between dietary vitamin B1 intake and the risk of hyperuricemia in women. In the US adult population, dietary vitamin B1 intake was negatively associated with hyperuricemia in males.

Advance in Hippophae rhamnoides polysaccharides: Extraction, structural characteristics, pharmacological activity, structure-activity relationship and application.

Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) is an excellent medicinal and edible plant owing to its high nutritional and health-promoting properties. As an important bioactive component, H. rhamnoides polysaccharides (HRPs) have aroused wide attention due to their various pharmacological activities, including hepatoprotective, immuno-modulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-obesity, and so on. Nevertheless, the development and utilization of HRP-derived functional food and medicines are constrained to a lack of comprehensive understanding of the structure-activity relationship, application, and safety of HRPs. This review systematically summarizes the advancements on the extraction, purification, structural characteristics, pharmacological activities and mechanisms of HRPs. The structure-activity relationship, safety evaluation, application, as well as the shortcomings of current research and promising prospects are also highlighted. This article aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of HRPs and lay a groundwork for future research and utilization of HRPs as multifunctional biomaterials and therapeutic agents.

Purple Sweet Potato Polysaccharide Exerting an Anti-inflammatory Effect via a TLR-Mediated Pathway by Regulating Polarization and Inhibiting the Inflammasome Activation.

Purple sweet potato polysaccharide (PSPP-1) is a novel glucan; this study aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of PSPP-1 and elucidate its potential mechanisms. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 was used as the model of inflammation, cell viability, and levels of nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and calcium ion (Ca2+) were analyzed. ELISA and qPCR were used to assess the productions and mRNA expression of cytokines, and Western blotting was used to assess protein expressions in the TLR-mediated pathway, macrophage polarization, and inflammasome activation. The results demonstrated PSPP-1 inhibited cell proliferation and markedly decreased NO, ROS, and Ca2+ levels. Moreover, PSPP-1 suppressed the secretions and mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased those of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, PSPP-1 could exert anti-inflammatory effects through different pathways mediated by both TLR2 and TLR4, which modulated the expressions of essential proteins in the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-dependent and toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon-ß (TRIF)-dependent signaling pathways. PSPP-1 even regulated the polarization of M1/M2 macrophages and inhibited the nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. These findings indicate that PSPP-1 can suppress LPS-induced inflammation via multiple pathways and may be a potential agent for therapeutic inflammation-related pathophysiological processes and disorders.

Surface and interface engineering of BiOCl nanomaterials and their photocatalytic applications.

BiOCl materials have received much attention because of their unique optical and electrical properties. Still, their unsatisfactory catalytic performance has been troubling researchers, limiting the application of BiOCl-based photocatalysts. Therefore, many researchers have studied the adjustment of BiOCl-based materials to enhance photocatalytic efficiency. This review focuses on surface and interface engineering strategies for boosting the photocatalytic performance of BiOCl-based nanomaterials, including forming oxygen vacancy defects, constructing metal/BiOCl, and the fabrication of semiconductor/BiOCl nanocomposites. The photocatalytic applications of the above composites are also concluded in photodegradation of aqueous pollutants, photocatalytic NO removal, photo-induced H2 production, and CO2 reduction. Special emphasis has been given to the modification methods of BiOCl and photocatalytic mechanisms to provide a more detailed understanding for researchers in the fields of energy conversion and materials sciences.

Bi/Mn-Doped BiOCl Nanosheets Self-Assembled Microspheres toward Optimized Photocatalytic Performance.

Doping engineering of metallic elements is of significant importance in photocatalysis, especially in the transition element range where metals possess empty 'd' orbitals that readily absorb electrons and increase carrier concentration. The doping of Mn ions produces dipole interactions that change the local structure of BiOCl, thus increasing the specific surface area of BiOCl and the number of mesoporous distributions, and providing a broader platform and richer surface active sites for catalytic reactions. The combination of Mn doping and metal Bi reduces the forbidden bandwidth of BiOCl, thereby increasing the absorption in the light region and strengthening the photocatalytic ability of BiOCl. The degradation of norfloxacin by Bi/Mn-doped BiOCl can reach 86.5% within 10 min. The synergistic effect of Mn doping and Bi metal can change the internal energy level and increase light absorption simultaneously. The photocatalytic system created by such a dual-technology combination has promising applications in environmental remediation.

A novel Vestitain A from the ripe fruits of Embelia vestita Roxb.

A new compound, vestitain A (1), together with 11 known compounds were isolated from the ripe fruits of Embelia vestita Roxb., among them compounds 5,10-12 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Their structures were elucidated and characterized by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Further, the isolated new compound 1 was evaluated for its hypoglycemic effects in vivo. Our research showed that compound 1 could decrease the fasting blood glucose (FBG) by approximately 36.31% in diabetic rats at the high dose (800 mg/kg). By the Morris Water Maze experiments, we found that compound 1 had the effect of intervention on social behavior in diabetic rats, which might provide a reference basis for its development and utilization as a potential hypoglycemic drug.

High-Crystallinity BiOCl Nanosheets as Efficient Photocatalysts for Norfloxacin Antibiotic Degradation.

Semiconductor photocatalysts are essential materials in the field of environmental remediation. Various photocatalysts have been developed to solve the contamination problem of norfloxacin in water pollution. Among them, a crucial ternary photocatalyst, BiOCl, has attracted extensive attention due to its unique layered structure. In this work, high-crystallinity BiOCl nanosheets were prepared using a one-step hydrothermal method. The obtained BiOCl nanosheets showed good photocatalytic degradation performance, and the degradation rate of highly toxic norfloxacin using BiOCl reached 84% within 180 min. The internal structure and surface chemical state of BiOCl were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible diffuse reflectance (UV-vis), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and photoelectric techniques. The higher crystallinity of BiOCl closely aligned molecules with each other, which improved the separation efficiency of photogenerated charges and showed high degradation efficiency for norfloxacin antibiotics. Furthermore, the obtained BiOCl nanosheets possess decent photocatalytic stability and recyclability.

Two novel zinc-based MOFs as luminescence sensors to detect phenylglyoxylic acid.

Automobile exhaust gases, plastic pollutants, smoking, and other harmful substances can cause serious harm to human beings and the environment. Styrene, as a common airborne toxin, enters the human body through breathing or the skin and is discharged in the form of phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA). Therefore, specific, sensitive and trace detection of PGA is particularly important. Here, two zinc-based metal-organic frameworks {[Zn2L1(DMF)2H2O](DMF)2H2O}n, {[Zn4(L2)2(DMF)2(H2O)3](DMF)8}n (L1 = 2,5-bis((3-carboxylphenyl)amino)terephthalic acid, L2 = 2,5-bis((4-carboxyphenyl)amino)terephthalic acid) have been reported as 1 and 2, respectively. Both 1 and 2 present 3D structures, which can both be simplified as 4,4,4-c net topology. It is worth mentioning that 2 has two different kinds of Zn SBUs as connecting nodes in the structure. Besides, compared with the other materials for the detection of PGA, 1 and 2 exhibit relatively low detection limits (LODs), both in water and in urine (where the LODs for 1 in water and urine were 0.33 µM and 0.43 µM in the range of 0-0.39 mM, and those for 2 were 0.28 µM and 0.49 µM in the range of 0-0.59 mM, respectively). In addition, the sensors have excellent anti-interference ability, high stability, rapid response, and can easily distinguish between different concentrations of PGA with the naked eye. The developed paper probes were suitable for practical sensing applications for portable detection of PGA in urine.

Ah-type Baroreceptor Neurons Expressing Estrogen Dependent mGluR7 Mediate Descending Inhibition of Cardiac Nociception.

Silent myocardial infarction (MI) is critical for clinical practice with increasing risk for women and the cause remains a medical mystery. Upon the discovery of female-specific Ah-type baroreceptor neurons (BRNs), we hypothesize that glutamate mediates depressor response through afferent-specific expression of particular glutamate receptors (mGluRs) leading descending inhibition of cardiac nociception. In vivo, tail-flick reflex and electromyography were assessed to evaluate glutamate-mediated blood pressure regulation, peripheral and cardiac nociception. The results showed that glutamate decreased mean arterial pressure (MAP) and increased peripheral nociception. Interestingly, glutamate-mediated capsaicin-induced cardiac nociception was strongly reduced in female rats compared with males. Furthermore, Nodose (NG) microinjection of mGluR7 agonist significantly increased MAP in males and slightly decreased that in females. Even though mGluR8 direct activation intensified baroreceptor activation, the sensitivity was similar between sexes. In vitro, the expression profiles of mGluRs were investigated using Western blot and identified BRNs using single-cell qRT-PCR under ischemic conditions. Glutamate in serum, NG and nucleus tractus solitary (NTS) was raised significantly in the model rats of both sexes vs. sham-controls. Female-specific expression of mGluR7 in the baroreflex afferent pathway, especially higher expression in Ah-type BRNs, contributes significantly to cardiac analgesia, which may explain that the pathogenesis of silent MI occurs mainly in female patients. Therefore, higher expression of mGluR7 in female-specific subpopulation of Ah-type BRNs plays a critical role in cardiac analgesia and peripheral nociception.

Immune-Enhancing Effects of a Novel Glucan from Purple Sweet Potato Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam on RAW264.7 Macrophage Cells via TLR2- and TLR4-Mediated Pathways.

PSPP-1 was obtained from purple sweet potato, and the effects of PSPP-1 on the immune modulation on macrophage cells were investigated for the first time. PSPP-1 promoted RAW264.7 proliferation and increased the total cell percentage in DNA synthesis and mitosis phases, and the cell morphology changed in volume and appearance. Additionally, the RAW264.7 immune functions of phagocytic activity and nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, and cytokine production were improved by PSPP-1. The western blot experiment showed that PSPP-1 could activate toll-like receptor 2 and toll-like receptor 4-mediated pathways, and the expressions of proteins in MyD88-dependent, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-signaling, NF-κB-signaling, AP-1 signaling, and TRIF-dependent pathways were improved markedly. Molecular docking and Biolayer Interferometry study further indicated that PSPP-1 could recognize and bind TLR2 and TLR4 by targeting the binding sites with a strong affinity. It suggested that PSPP-1 could enhance immunity via TLR2- and TLR4-mediated pathways, and it could be explored as an immunomodulatory agent.

Purification, characterization, and in vitro antitumor activity of a novel glucan from the purple sweet potato Ipomoea Batatas (L.) Lam.

A novel glucan PSPP-1 (18.3 kDa) was purified from the foot tuber of purple sweet potato Ipomoea Batatas (L.) Lam. Its backbone was composed of →4)-α-d-Glcp(1→ glycosyl, and branching at the O-2, O-3, and O-6 positions with α-d-Glcp(1→ residues. X-ray diffraction experiment showed that PSPP-1 existed as an amorphous form. Its microstructure was detected via scanning electron microscopy. Its particle size was mainly concentrated at 230 nm in water. Congo red and circular dichroism experiments showed there was no triple-helix conformation. Atomic force microscopy data suggested that its height and width ranged from 1.0 to 6.1 nm and 65 to 210 nm, respectively; its maximum ring diameter and chain length was ∼800 nm and ∼7.0 µm, respectively. Furthermore, it exhibited inhibitory activities on HepG2, LOVO, and MCF-7 cells. Collectively, our data are useful for understanding the structural characteristics of sweet potato polysaccharides, and their application in foods and pharmaceutical areas.

TMF, a natural dihydroflavonoid isolated from Scutellaria javanica Jungh, stimulates anticancer activity of s180 cancer-bearing mice, induces apoptosis, inhibits invasion and migration on HepG-2 cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: 5-hydroxy-7,8,2',6'-tetramethoxy flavanone (TMF) is a dihydroflavonoid extracted from Scutellaria javanica Jungh. It is a species of genus Scutellaria, and a representative southern herb and Li nationality medicine. The plant has been used as an ethnic medicine in treating cancer and the main components are dihydroflavonoids. However, the underlying mechanisms are yet to be elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aimed at investigating the efficacy of TMF in cancer and the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The s180 cancer-bearing mice experiment in vivo was designed to study the tumor growth inhibition of TMF. Also, we investigated the latent mechanism of TMF induced apoptosis and the inhibitory action of TMF on the metastasis and proliferation in HepG-2 cells. The in vitro experimental groups were treated with TMF or hydroxycamptothecine (HCPT) for 24 h. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Caspase-3 activity was detected by ELISA. The expressions of PCNA, Bcl-2, Bax, p53, E-Cadherin, MMP-9, MMP-2, STAT3, p-STAT3, JAK2, p-JAK2, AKT, p-AKT, ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 were examined by Western blot. RESULTS: After oral administration of TMF in s180 cancer-bearing mice, tumor growth in vivo was suppressed significantly. The MTT assay result and the reduction of PCAN proved that TMF could inhibit HepG-2 cells proliferation. TMF also caused dose-dependent apoptosis on HepG-2 cells. The experimental results showed that the expression of Bcl-2 was reduced, and the expressions of caspase-3, Bax and p53 were increased. Therefore, we speculated that TMF-induced apoptosis might be achieved by regulating the p53-Bcl-2/Bax-caspase-3 pathways. Transwell cell migration and invasion assay showed that treatment with TMF inhibited the invasion and migration in HepG-2 cells. The expressions of MMP-9 and MMP-2 were decreased while that of E-cadherin was enhanced significantly by TMF. Additionally, the expressions of p-JAK2, p-STAT3, p-AKT and p-ERK1/2 were decreased, but those of JAK2, STAT3, AKT and ERK1/2 remained unchanged. Thus, it is indicated that TMF induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation and metastasis on HepG-2 cells via JAK2/STAT3, MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. CONCLUSION: The present results demonstrated that TMF could stimulate anticancer activity of s180 cancer-bearing mice, induce apoptosis, and inhibit invasion and migration on HepG-2 cells. Our findings displayed a systematic insight into the mechanisms underlying anticancer action of TMF, and provided a better understanding of its use for cancer.

Biosynthesis of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by bacterial community from propylene oxide saponification wastewater residual sludge.

The saponification wastewater from the process of propylene oxide (PO) production is contaminated with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and chlorine contents. Although the activated sludge process could treat the PO saponification wastewater effectively, the residual sludge was difficult to be disposed properly. In this research, microbes in PO saponification wastewater residual sludge were acclimated to produce poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) from volatile fatty acids. Through Miseq Illumina highthroughput sequencing, the bacterial community discrepancy between the original and the acclimated sludge samples were analyzed. The proportions of Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Brevundimonas and Pseudomonas, the potential PHBV-producers in the residual sludge, were all obviously increased. In the batch fermentation, the production of PHBV could achieve 4.262g/L at 300min, with the content increased from 0.04% to 23.67% of mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) in the acclimated sludge, and the COD of the PO saponification wastewater was also decreased in the fermentation. This work would provide an effective solution for the utilization of PO saponification wastewater residual sludge.

FGF21 ameliorates the neurocontrol of blood pressure in the high fructose-drinking rats.

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) is closely related to various metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. However, the direct targets and mechanisms linking FGF21 to blood pressure control and hypertension are still elusive. Here we demonstrated a novel regulatory function of FGF21 in the baroreflex afferent pathway (the nucleus tractus solitarii, NTS; nodose ganglion, NG). As the critical co-receptor of FGF21, ß-klotho (klb) significantly expressed on the NTS and NG. Furthermore, we evaluated the beneficial effects of chronic intraperitoneal infusion of recombinant human FGF21 (rhFGF21) on the dysregulated systolic blood pressure, cardiac parameters, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and hyperinsulinemia in the high fructose-drinking (HFD) rats. The BRS up-regulation is associated with Akt-eNOS-NO signaling activation in the NTS and NG induced by acute intravenous rhFGF21 administration in HFD and control rats. Moreover, the expressions of FGF21 receptors were aberrantly down-regulated in HFD rats. In addition, the up-regulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and -α (PPAR-γ/-α) in the NTS and NG in HFD rats were markedly reversed by chronic rhFGF21 infusion. Our study extends the work of the FGF21 actions on the neurocontrol of blood pressure regulations through baroreflex afferent pathway in HFD rats.

Alkaloids from beach spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis) induce apoptosis of HepG-2 cells by the fas-signaling pathway.

Alkaloids are the most extensively featured compounds of natural anti-tumor herbs, which have attracted much attention in pharmaceutical research. In our previous studies, a mixture of major three alkaloid components (5, 6-dihydrobicolorine, 7-deoxy-trans-dihydronarciclasine, littoraline) from Hymenocallis littoralis were extracted, analyzed and designated as AHL. In this paper, AHL extracts were added to human liver hepatocellular cells HepG-2, human gastric cancer cell SGC-7901, human breast adenocarcinoma cell MCF-7 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell EVC-304, to screen one or more AHL-sensitive tumor cell. Among these cells, HepG-2 was the most sensitive to AHL treatment, a very low dose (0.8µg/ml) significantly inhibiting proliferation . The non- tumor cell EVC-304, however, was not apparently affected. Effect of AHL on HepG-2 cells was then explored. We found that the AHL could cause HepG-2 cycle arrest at G2/M checkpoint, induce apoptosis, and interrupt polymerization of microtubules. In addition, expression of two cell cycle-regulated proteins, CyclinB1 and CDK1, was up-regulated upon AHL treatment. Up-regulation of the Fas, Fas ligand, Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 was observed as well, which might imply roles for the Fas/FsaL signaling pathway in the AHL-induced apoptosis of HepG-2 cells.

Characterization and flocculation mechanism of an alkali-activated polysaccharide flocculant from Arthrobacter sp. B4.

The characterization and flocculation mechanism of a bioflocculant produced by Arthrobacter sp. B4 were investigated. The bioflocculant's active ingredient was a polysaccharide (B4-PS) that consisted of three main fractions corresponding to the molecular weights of approximately 3.97×10(4)Da, 6.84×10(3)Da and 5.9×10(6)Da, respectively. These fractions were composed of galactose, glucose, mannose and glucuronic acid. Flocculation experiments showed that B4-PS could spontaneously flocculate in the presence of Ca(2+) ions at a high pH (>12.0), followed by the pH reduction to ∼6.0. The self-flocculation of B4-PS may be mediated by ionization and charge neutralization mechanism. Furthermore, B4-PS exhibited excellent capabilities for pollutant removal and pH reduction in alkaline wastewater. These data suggest B4-PS may be a promising tool for use in industrial alkaline wastewater pretreatment.