Exploring the effect of high-pressure processing conditions on the deaggregation of natural major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) fibrillar aggregates.

High pressure processing is a safe and green novel non-thermal processing technique for modulating food protein aggregation behavior. However, the systematic relationship between high pressure processing conditions and protein deaggregation has not been sufficiently investigated. Major royal jelly proteins, which are naturally highly fibrillar aggregates, and it was found that the pressure level and exposure time could significantly promote protein deaggregation. The 100-200 MPa treatment favoured the deaggregation of proteins with a significant decrease in the sulfhydryl group content. Contrarily, at higher pressure levels (>400 MPa), the exposure time promoted the formation of disordered agglomerates. Notably, the inter-conversion of α-helix and ß-strands in major royal jelly proteins after high pressure processing eliminates the solvent-free cavities inside the aggregates, which exerts a 'collapsing' effect on the fibrillar aggregates. Furthermore, the first machine learning model of the high pressure processing conditions and the protein deaggregation behaviour was developed, which provided digital guidance for protein aggregation regulation.

Evidence and causes of recent decreases in nitrogen deposition in temperate forests in Northeast China.

High reactive nitrogen (N) emissions due to anthropogenic activities in China have led to an increase in N deposition and ecosystem degradation. The Chinese government has strictly regulated reactive N emissions since 2010, however, determining whether N deposition has reduced requires long-term monitoring. Here, we report the patterns of N deposition at a rural forest site (Qingyuan) in northeastern China over the last decade. We collected 456 daily precipitation samples from 2014 to 2022 and analysed the temporal dynamics of N deposition. NH4+-N, NO3--N, and total inorganic N (TIN) deposition ranged from 10.5 ± 3.5 (mean ± SD), 6.1 ± 1.6, and 16.6 ± 4.7 kg N ha-1 year-1, respectively. Over the measurement period, TIN deposition at Qingyuan decreased by 55 %, whereas that in comparable sites in East Asia declined by 14-34 %. We used a random forest model to determine factors influencing the deposition of NH4+-N, NO3--N, and TIN during the study period. NH4+-N deposition decreased by 60 % because of decreased agricultural NH3 emissions. Furthermore, NO3--N deposition decreased by 42 %, due to reduced NOx emissions from agricultural soil and fossil fuel combustion. The steep decline in N deposition in northeastern China was attributed to reduced coal consumption, improved emission controls on automobiles, and shifts in agricultural practices. Long-term monitoring is needed to assess regional air quality and the impact of N emission control regulations.

Effects of a 12-week exercise-based intervention on weight management in overweight or obese breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer survivors face dual challenges: long-term sequelae of treatment and the risk of recurrent disease. Furthermore, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can complicate both challenges. We aimed to assess the effect of a 12-week exercise-based weight-management program in overweight/obese breast cancer survivors. METHODS: A two-arm, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted among 60 overweight/obese, stage 0-III breast cancer survivors. During the 12-week program, the intervention group received weekly information support, fortnightly exercise prescriptions, including aerobic and resistance exercises to perform at home, and one dietary instruction. The control group received information support about weight management and exercise. Weight, body composition, and physical fitness data were collected at baseline, postintervention, and the 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: The intervention group showed significant improvements in body weight and all adiposity indices, including body mass index, waist circumference, and %body fat, in comparison with baseline (P < 0.001) and the control group (P < 0.05). Both groups showed no significant changes in fat-free mass during the 6-month period (P > 0.05). International Physical Activity Questionnaire scores and left grip strength increased significantly in the intervention group in comparison with the baseline (P < 0.01) and the control group (P < 0.05). Right grip strength, lower-body strength, and aerobic endurance showed no significant intergroup differences (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of exercise prescription and weight-loss interventions yielded clinically meaningful weight loss in overweight/obese breast cancer survivors. These findings may facilitate the incorporation of home-based exercise and weight management into breast cancer treatment and survivorship care.

Efficient degradation of imidacloprid by surface discharge cold plasma: Mechanism of interaction between ROS and molecular structure and evaluation of residual toxicity.

Incorrect use of neonicotinoid pesticides poses a serious threat to human and pollinator health, as these substances are commonly present in bee products and even drinking water. To combat this threat, the study developed a new method of degrading the pesticide imidacloprid using surface discharge cold plasma oxidation technology. The study showed that this method achieved a very high efficiency of imidacloprid degradation of 91.4%. The main reactive oxygen species (H2O2, O3, ·OH, O2-, 1O2) effectively participated in the decomposition reaction of imidacloprid. Reactive oxygen species were more sensitive to the structure of the nitroimine group. Density functional theory (DFT) further explored the sites of reactive oxygen species attack on imidacloprid and revealed the process of energy change of attacking imidacloprid. In addition, a degradation pathway for imidacloprid was proposed, mainly involving reactive oxygen species chemisorption, a ring-opening intermediate, and complete cleavage of the nitroimine group structure. Model predictions indicated that acute oral and developmental toxicity were significantly reduced after cold plasma treatment, as confirmed by insect experiments. Animal experiments have shown that plasma treatment reduces imidacloprid damage to mice hippocampal tissue structure and inhibits the reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor content, thus revealing the detoxification mechanism of the body.

Self-assembled condensed tannins supramolecular system can adsorb cholesterol micelles to promote cholesterol excretion.

In this study, the cholesterol (CH)-lowering behavioral mechanisms and drivers of condensed tannins (CTs) were revealed using a molecular aggregation theoretical model combined with in vitro experiments, as well as the CH-lowering effects of CTs validated based on animal experiments. Theoretical model results indicated that CTs can spontaneously aggregate to form supramolecular systems, can break CH micelles and form larger aggregates, a behavior driven by van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds; DLS and TEM results confirmed that the presence of CH leads to a larger particle size of CTs and the formation of large aggregates; thermodynamic analysis and ITC revealed that the adsorption of CH by CTs is a spontaneous reaction driven by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces; Animal experiments and fecal biochemical parameters further confirmed that the intake of CTs can reduce CH absorption and promotes CH excretion. Overall, this study reveals the CH-lowering behavioral mechanism of CTs from the perspective of molecular aggregation behavior.

Electrohydrodynamic drying of citrus (Citrus sinensis L.) peel: Comparative evaluation on the physiochemical quality and volatile profiles.

Based on the concept of circular economy, citrus peel was considered a valuable source of bioactive compounds for high-value foods. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying is a novel technology appropriated for the dehydration of heat-sensitive products such as citrus peel. In current work, EHD drying of citrus peel was performed based on alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) sources at various voltage levels (9, 18, 27, 36, and 45 kV). The effect of EHD on drying characteristics, water retention capacity, enzyme inactivation, phytochemical contents (phenolic compounds and carotenoids), and volatile compounds of citrus peel were evaluated and compared. Results showed that the drying time in the AC electric field was shorter compared to DC electric field at the same applied voltages due to the polarization layer formed by unipolar charges. The applied voltage determined electric field strength as well as the degree of tissue collapse and cell membrane rupture. EHD elucidated the transformation and degradation of phytochemicals including phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and volatile composition in proportion to the applied voltage. The findings indicate that EHD drying with AC improves drying behaviors, inactivates enzymes, and retains the phytochemical properties of citrus peel.

Influence of Appropriate Empirical Antibiotic Treatment on the Prognosis of ICU Patients with HAP Caused by Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria.

Purpose: In patients with carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) infection, the impact of appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment (AEAT) initialized before culture results were available remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the effect of AEAT on the prognosis of critically ill patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) caused by CRGNB. Patients and Methods: Patients with CRGNB-infected HAP and received empirical antibiotic treatment (EAT) for at least 3 days in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary teaching hospital in China from February 2017 to September 2021 were included in the retrospective cohort study. Patients were categorized into AEAT and inappropriate empirical antibiotic treatment (IEAT) groups based on whether they received EAT covering CRGNB. The associations of AEAT with ICU and 28-day mortality were assessed using multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 94 patients were enrolled, including 29 patients in AEAT group and 65 patients in IEAT group. Patients in AEAT group had a higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (P = 0.003), levels of procalcitonin (PCT) (P = 0.001), and lactic acid (LAC) (P = 0.026); while patients in the IEAT group had a higher platelet count (PLT) (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the length of ICU stay between the two groups (P = 0.051). Compared with IEAT, AEAT was associated with an increased risk of 28-day mortality in the univariable logistic regression model (OR: 2.618, 95% CI: 1.063-6.448). However, after adjusted for SOFA score, PLT, PCT, and LAC level, the association between AEAT and 28-day mortality diminished (OR: 1.028, 95% CI: 0.353-2.996). AEAT showed no significant association with ICU mortality in neither univariable (OR: 1.167, 95% CI: 0.433-3.142) nor multivariable (OR: 0.357, 95% CI: 0.097-1.320) models. Conclusion: AEAT showed no significant influence on ICU or 28-day mortality in critically ill patients with HAP caused by CRGNB infection.

Post-harvest ripening affects drying behavior, antioxidant capacity and flavor release of peach via alteration of cell wall polysaccharides content and nanostructures, water distribution and status.

Effect of post-harvest ripening on cell wall polysaccharides nanostructures, water status, physiochemical properties of peaches and drying behavior under hot air-infrared drying was evaluated. Results showed that the content of water soluble pectins (WSP) increased by 94 %, while the contents of chelate-soluble pectins (CSP), Na2CO3-soluble pectins (NSP) and hemicelluloses (HE) decreased during post-harvest ripening by 60 %, 43 %, and 61 %, respectively. The drying time increased from 3.5 to 5.5 h when the post-harvest time increased from 0 to 6 days. Atomic force microscope analysis showed that depolymerization of hemicelluloses and pectin occurred during post-harvest ripening. Time Domain -NMR observations indicated that reorganization of cell wall polysaccharides nanostructure changed water spatial distribution and cell internal structure, facilitated moisture migration, and affected antioxidant capacity of peaches during drying. This leads to the redistribution of flavor substances (heptanal, n-nonanal dimer and n-nonanal monomer). The current work elucidates the effect of post-harvest ripening on the physiochemical properties and drying behavior of peaches.

Effects of Major Royal Jelly Proteins on the Immune Response and Gut Microbiota Composition in Cyclophosphamide-Treated Mice.

Increasing evidence suggests that royal jelly (RJ) has exceptional biological properties, and that major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) are the key active factors in RJ. The objective of this study was to compare the difference in the protein content between RJ and MRJPs using non-labeled, quantitative proteomics technology, and to investigate the adjustment features and mechanisms of MRJPs on murine immune functions and the composition of intestinal flora in cyclophosphamide-treated mice. Results showed that, during the process of extracting MRJPs, the ratio of the protein types in the main protein and other proteins decreased significantly, except for MRJP1 and MRJP7, which demonstrated that an enriching effect of MRJP1 and MRJP7 was present during the extraction process. Cyclophosphamide-induced mice were orally administered MRJPs. Results showed that the middle-dose group, which received 0.25 g/(kg·bw) of royal jelly main protein, demonstrated a clear impact on the development of the spleen and liver, the quantity of peripheral blood leukocytes, immunoglobulin content, immune factor level, and the proliferation ability of spleen lymphocytes. A 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology analysis showed that MRJPs could improve the component and richness of intestinal flora and raise the immunity of mice. The above-mentioned results indicated that the application of MRJPs is very likely to have an advantage effect on murine immune functions.

Incorporating paraffin@SiO2 nanocapsules with abundant surface hydroxyl groups into polydimethylsiloxane to develop composites with enhanced interfacial heat conductance for chip heat dissipation.

Incorporating phase change capsules into polymeric matrices is an effective approach for developing flexible composites with both heat storage capacity and good thermal reliability, while the interfacial heat conductance between the capsules and the matrix has seldom been considered. Herein, paraffin@SiO2 nanocapsules synthesized by an interfacial polycondensation process using a basic catalyst were incorporated into a polydimethylsiloxane matrix for the first time to prepare phase change composites at different loadings. Furthermore, the composites containing the nanocapsules were systematically compared with the composites containing the paraffin@SiO2 microcapsules synthesized using an acidic catalyst. It is shown that, at every identical mass fraction, the composites containing the nanocapsules not only possessed larger latent heat than those containing the microcapsules, but also exhibited higher thermal conductivity and lower hardness. The enhancement in thermal conductivity as well as the decline in hardness for the composite containing the nanocapsules are revealed to originate from a larger amount of hydroxyl groups at the surfaces of the nanocapsules than the microcapsules, which could form more hydrogen bonds with the polymer matrix. This bonding favored the interfacial heat conductance between the nanocapsules and the matrix together with decreasing the crosslinking density of the matrix. Subsequently, composites with enhanced thermal conductivity were developed by combining the nanocapsules with a BN filler. By evaluating the performance for chip heat dissipation, it was found that, when the chip was heated at a power of 10 W, the incorporation of the paraffin@SiO2 nanocapsules at a loading of 36 wt% into the polymer matrix made a remarkable decrease in the chip equilibrium temperature by 31.7 °C, and a further decline by 8.9 °C occurred when combined with 16 wt% BN. This work sheds light on facilitating the interfacial heat conductance between phase change capsules and the polymer matrix by hydrogen bonding.

Lipidomics reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in lipid profiles and lipid oxidation in rape bee pollen dried by different methods.

Drying is essential for preserving fresh bee pollen. However, the effects of different drying techniques on lipid quality are unknown. This study aimed to compare the effects of four drying methods (freeze-drying (FD), infrared drying (IRD), hot-air drying (HAD), and pulsed vacuum drying (PVD)) on the drying kinetics, lipid oxidation, lipid profiles, and lipid metabolic pathways of bee pollen. IRD and HAD had the fastest drying rates but the highest degree of lipid oxidation. Lipidomics analysis of the bee pollen identified 1541 lipid metabolites from 20 subclasses. Glycerophospholipids were the most abundant, followed by glycerides, glycolipids, and sphingolipids. Drying not only reduced the lipid content, but also altered the structure of the triglyceride (TG) and fatty acid (FA), which might be caused by degradation and oxidation. Principal components analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) showed that IRD and HAD had the greatest effects on lipid metabolites, whereas FD had the smallest influence. Lipid oxidation during drying was correlated with differential lipids and three main metabolic pathways, including glycerophospholipid, linoleic acid, and glycerolipid metabolic pathways, in which phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidic acid (PA), and lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) were the key lipids. Our results provide comprehensive lipid profiles and potential mechanisms of lipid oxidation during bee pollen drying.

Effects of hot-air drying temperature on drying characteristics and color deterioration of rape bee pollen.

The effects of different hot-air drying (HAD) temperature (40, 50, 60, and 70 °C) on the drying characteristics, color changes, the contents of α-dicarbonyl compounds (α-DCs), 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF) and carotenoids of rape bee pollen were investigated in the study. The results showed that increasing the drying temperature from 40 to 70 °C shortened the drying time by 65 %. HAD caused lower L* and b* values, as well as higher a* values. Browning index and 5-HMF content increased with increasing drying temperature. The relative content of antheraxanthin increased 230 % at 70 °C while lutein and zeaxanthin decreased by 74 and 81 % than that of fresh (non-heated) pollen. The contents of 3-deoxyglucosone, 1-deoxy-2,3-pentosulose, antheraxanthin, and lutein were related to the color deterioration in HAD process in rape bee pollen. This work is of great practical significance to provide scientific basis for quality optimization of bee pollen in the drying process.

Facilitating charge transfer through an atomic coherent interface of a novel direct Z-scheme BiVO4@Cu3SnS4 heterojunction to boost photocatalytic performance.

Direct Z-scheme photocatalytic systems are very promising composite photocatalysts, and their photocatalytic performance is highly associated with the quality of the interface within them. Herein, a novel direct Z-scheme heterojunction with a coherent interface has been presented for the first time. Specifically, the heterojunction was constructed by dispersing pre-prepared BiVO4 crystals into the reaction system to synthesize Cu3SnS4, followed by a hydrothermal reaction. It is shown that Cu3SnS4 was deposited on the surface of each pre-prepared BiVO4 crystal as a thin layer via heterogeneous nucleation to acquire a core-shell heterojunction. The BiVO4@Cu3SnS4 heterojunction was found to possess an atomic coherent interface, which is formed through the bonding between the (121) plane of BiVO4 and the (112) plane of Cu3SnS4, originating from the matching in the crystalline lattice between the two planes. The coherent interface facilitated the charge transfer from Cu3SnS4 to BiVO4 owing to the difference in their Fermi levels, thereby forming a built-in electric field pointing from Cu3SnS4 to BiVO4. Reduced fluorescence emission and a shortened carrier lifetime reveal an obvious reduction in the inter-band charge recombination for the optimal BVO@CTS-0.19 sample. Consequently, BVO@CTS-0.19 shows remarkably enhanced photocatalytic performance in MO degradation, Cr6+ reduction and oxygen evolution. The Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism for BVO@CTS-0.19 was verified by a suite of techniques. This work provides a universal strategy for building a coherent interface to develop high-performance direct Z-scheme heterojunctions.

From pure water to hydrogen peroxide on a novel 2,5,8-triamino-tri-s-triazine (melem)-derived photocatalyst with a high apparent quantum efficiency.

Photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production is a green process but remains a great challenge. Herein, a novel photocatalyst with high activity for H2O2 production, is developed based on 2,5,8-triamino-tri-s-triazine (melem) by linking it with 2, 3-naphthalene dicarboxylic anhydride (NDA). The obtained melem/NDA hybrid not only exhibited narrowed band gap and obviously enhanced visible light absorption, but also showed reduced charge recombination originated from its spatial distribution in HOMO and LUMO induced by the introduction of NDA as verified by DFT calculations. More significantly, the sufficient LUMO and HOMO positions for the optimal sample, melem/NDA0.5, ensured efficient H2O2 production from pure water via both the oxygen reduction reactions mainly through the two-step one-electron path and the water oxidation reaction through the one-step two-electron path. Consequently, melem/NDA0.5 achieves an apparent quantum efficiency of as high as 6.9 % at 420 nm. This work sheds light on developing high-performance organic photocatalysts for boosting photocatalytic H2O2 production.

A telerehabilitation programme in post-discharge COVID-19 patients (TERECO): a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate superiority of a telerehabilitation programme for COVID-19 (TERECO) over no rehabilitation with regard to exercise capacity, lower limb muscle strength (LMS), pulmonary function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and dyspnoea. DESIGN: Parallel-group randomised controlled trial with 1:1 block randomisation. SETTING: Three major hospitals from Jiangsu and Hubei provinces, China. PARTICIPANTS: 120 formerly hospitalised COVID-19 survivors with remaining dyspnoea complaints were randomised with 61 allocated to control and 59 to TERECO. INTERVENTION: Unsupervised home-based 6-week exercise programme comprising breathing control and thoracic expansion, aerobic exercise and LMS exercise, delivered via smartphone, and remotely monitored with heart rate telemetry. OUTCOMES: Primary outcome was 6 min walking distance (6MWD) in metres. Secondary outcomes were squat time in seconds; pulmonary function assessed by spirometry; HRQOL measured with Short Form Health Survey-12 (SF-12) and mMRC-dyspnoea. Outcomes were assessed at 6 weeks (post-treatment) and 28 weeks (follow-up). RESULTS: Adjusted between-group difference in change in 6MWD was 65.45 m (95% CI 43.8 to 87.1; p<0.001) at post-treatment and 68.62 m (95% CI 46.39 to 90.85; p<0.001) at follow-up. Treatment effects for LMS were 20.12 s (95% CI 12.34 to 27.9; p<0.001) post-treatment and 22.23 s (95% CI 14.24 to 30.21; p<0.001) at follow-up. No group differences were found for lung function except post-treatment maximum voluntary ventilation. Increase in SF-12 physical component was greater in the TERECO group with treatment effects estimated as 3.79 (95% CI 1.24 to 6.35; p=0.004) at post-treatment and 2.69 (95% CI 0.06 to 5.32; p=0.045) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This trial demonstrated superiority of TERECO over no rehabilitation for 6MWD, LMS, and physical HRQOL. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2000031834.

Effect of qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There are several effective complementary and integrative therapies for patients with severe COVID-19. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and advantages of the qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program (QARP) for treating patients with severe COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 128 patients with COVID-19 aged 20 to 80 years were recruited and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive QARP plus standard therapies or standard therapies alone. QARP consisted of acupressure therapy and qigong exercise (Liu Zi Jue). The primary outcome was measured with the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, and the secondary outcomes included the modified Borg dyspnea scale (MBS), fatigue Scale-14 (FS-14), patient health questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9), duration of respiratory symptoms, and vital signs. RESULTS: In total, 128 patients completed the clinical trial. The QARP group and standard therapies group showed significant improvements in vital signs (except blood pressure) and clinical scales compared with baseline (p<0.05). The QARP group also showed more significant improvement in the mMRC dyspnea scale (-1.8 [-2.1, -1.6], p=0.018) and modified Borg dyspnea scale (-3.7 [95% confidence intervals (CI) -4.3, -3.1], p=0.045). The duration of cough was 14.3 days (95% CI 12.6, 16.1, p=0.046), and the length of hospital stay was 18.5 days (95% CI 17.0, 20.0, p=0.042) in the QARP group, both of which were significantly reduced compared with the standard therapies group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: QARP plus standard therapies improved lung function and symptoms such as dyspnea and cough in patients with severe COVID-19 and shortened the length of hospital stay. Therefore, QARP may be considered an effective treatment option for patients with severe COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: ChiCTR2000029994.

Ciliopathy genes are required for apical secretion of Cochlin, an otolith crystallization factor.

Here, we report that important regulators of cilia formation and ciliary compartment-directed protein transport function in secretion polarity. Mutations in cilia genes cep290 and bbs2, involved in human ciliopathies, affect apical secretion of Cochlin, a major otolith component and a determinant of calcium carbonate crystallization form. We show that Cochlin, defective in human auditory and vestibular disorder, DFNA9, is secreted from small specialized regions of vestibular system epithelia. Cells of these regions secrete Cochlin both apically into the ear lumen and basally into the basal lamina. Basally secreted Cochlin diffuses along the basal surface of vestibular epithelia, while apically secreted Cochlin is incorporated into the otolith. Mutations in a subset of ciliopathy genes lead to defects in Cochlin apical secretion, causing abnormal otolith crystallization and behavioral defects. This study reveals a class of ciliary proteins that are important for the polarity of secretion and delineate a secretory pathway that regulates biomineralization.

Detection of acacia honey adulteration with high fructose corn syrup through determination of targeted α­Dicarbonyl compound using ion mobility-mass spectrometry coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS.

High-value acacia honey is often adulterated with inexpensive high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), due to their similar color and sugar composition. α­Dicarbonyl compounds formed by Maillard reaction or caramelization during heat treatment or storage, differ between HFCS and honey due to differences in starting materials and processing methods. In this study, we compared α-dicarbonyl compounds in acacia honey and HFCS by Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis. Through α-dicarbonyl compound derivatization with o-phenylenediamine, we screened a marker with 189.1023 m/z and 139.3 Å2 Collision Cross-Section that can distinguish HFCS from acacia honey. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra identified this marker compound as 3,4-dideoxypentosulose. We then used chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry to quantitate 3,4-dideoxypentosulose in market samples of honey and HFCS and found that 3,4-dideoxypentosulose was negligible (<0.098 mg/kg) in honey, but prevalent in HFCS (≧1.174 mg/kg), indicating 3,4-dideoxypentosulose can serve as an alternative indicator of HFCS adulteration of acacia honey.

Acupuncture and related therapies for poststroke insomnia: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare and evaluate the clinical effects on patients with poststroke insomnia of various acupuncture and acupuncture-related therapies. METHODS: In order to analyze the direct and indirect evidence from related studies, we used network meta-analysis (NMA). In order to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture and related therapies in the treatment of poststroke insomnia, 3 English and 4 Chinese databases were searched. After 2 researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the information, and assessed the probability of bias in the included studies, the data was analyzed using Stata15.0 and WinBUGS1.4.3 software. RESULTS: Based on the existing data, the pros and cons of different acupuncture-related therapies are compared extensively, the effectiveness of different acupuncture-related therapies is ranked compared to drugs with hypnotic effect in poststroke insomnia care, and the best methods or combinations of acupuncture intervention are summarized. CONCLUSION: This study will provide new evidence for the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture-related therapies in the treatment of poststroke insomnia, and may be helpful for clinicians, poststroke insomnia patients, and clinical guideline makers to choose the optimal combination of acupuncture for the treatment of poststroke insomnia. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202120028.