[Nutritional composition in different processed wheats from Shaanxi Province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the content of nutritive ingredients of 11 kinds of different processed wheats planted in Shaanxi Province, and assess their nutritional value. METHODS: The macronutrients, moisture, ash and vitamins in 11 different wheat were determined. The index of nutritional quality(INQ) method was used to evaluate the different nutrients in 11 kinds of wheat and the fuzzy membership function method was used to evaluate the nutritional value comprehensively. RESULTS: The contents of water and carbohydrate in 11 kinds of whole wheat flour were lower than those of special flour and wheat core flour. The contents of ash, fat, protein and total dietary fiber were significantly higher than those of special flour and wheat core flour. The wheat flour contained high levels of vitamin B_1, certain vitamin B_2 and trace amount of ß-carotene. Under the parameters selected in this article, the comprehensive evaluation shows that Jinmai 54 had the highest nutritive value among 11 kinds of wheat, while Zhoumai 26 had the lowest nutritive value. CONCLUSION: 11 kinds of wheat is rich in protein, vitamins and other nutrients, peeling can cause a large loss of vitamin B and vitamin E in wheat flour. The comprehensive nutritional value of whole wheat flour is higher than the special flour and wheat core powder.

Enantioselective effects of imazethapyr residues on Arabidopsis thaliana metabolic profile and phyllosphere microbial communities.

Imazethapyr (IM) is a widely used acetolactate synthase-inhibiting chiral herbicide. It has long-term residuals that may be absorbed by the human body through the edible parts of plants, such as vegetable leaves or fruits. Here, we selected a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, to determine the effects of R-IM and S-IM on its leaf structure, photosynthetic efficiency, and metabolites, as well as the structures of microorganisms in the phyllosphere, after 7 days of exposure. Our results indicated enantiomeric differences in plant growth between R-IM and S-IM; 133 µg/kg R-IM showed heavier inhibition of photosynthetic efficiency and greater changes to subcellular structure than S-IM. R-IM and S-IM also had different effects on metabolism and leaf microorganisms. S-IM mainly increased lipid compounds and decreased amino acids, while R-IM increased sugar accumulation. The relative abundance of Moraxellaceae human pathogenic bacteria was increased by R-IM treatment, indicating that R-IM treatment may increase leaf surface pathogenic bacteria. Our research provides a new perspective for evaluating the harmfulness of pesticide residues in soil, phyllosphere microbiome changes via the regulation of plant metabolism, and induced pathogenic bacterial accumulation risks.

[Assessment on exposure of dietary aluminium among residents in Shaanxi Province during 2013-2015].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contamination condition of the aluminium in commercial foods in Shaanxi Province, and evaluate aluminium dietary intake level in Shaanxi population and its potential health risks. METHODS: 1331 samples in Shaanxi Province were collected from 2013 to 2015. The aluminium contents were detected by National Food Contamination and Harmful Factors in Risk Monitoring Manual, and data of total diet study in Shaanxi Province in 2007, to calculate dietary intake of aluminium in Shaanxi population. RESULTS: Average dietary intake of aluminium was 0. 358 mg/( kg·d), accounted for 125% of PTWI. The dietary intake of aluminium in children aged 2 to7 years old was highest, followed children aged 8 to 12 years old and men aged 13 to 19 years old. Grain products and potato products were the main sources of aluminium exposure compared with others. CONCLUSION: The dietary intake of aluminium in Shaanxi population is more than the PTWI. The children aged 2 to 7 years old, children aged 8 to12 years old and men aged 13 to 19 years old is high. Grain products and potato products are the main sources of aluminium exposure in Shaanxi population. The effective measureto control the intake of aluminium is to normalize and rationalize the use of additives containing aluminium.

Development of pressurized liquid extraction and solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography and flame photometric detection for the determination of organophosphate esters in sediments.

Organophosphate esters have been extensively used as flame retardants and plasticizers. The analysis of organophosphate esters in the environment is a hot topic because many of them are toxic and persistent. We developed a novel procedure for determining organophosphate esters in sediment. In this work, pressurized liquid extraction and solid-phase microextraction are used for sample preparation to extract and concentrate the analytes, which are then analyzed by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. The extraction parameters of pressurized liquid extraction were investigated and optimized by orthogonal design and then evaluated by range analysis and analysis of variance. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed procedure showed wide linear ranges (0.90-100 ng/g) with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9921 to 0.9990. The detection limits of the method were in the range of 0.009-0.280 ng/g with standard deviations ranging from 2.2 to 9.5%. Recoveries of the proposed method ranged from 82.3 to 108.9% with relative standard deviations <8.4%. The obtained method was applied successfully to the determination of organophosphate esters in real sediments with recoveries varying from 79.8 to 107.3%. The proposed method was proved to be simple, easy, and sensitive for analyzing organophosphate esters in sediment samples.

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes retinal pigment epithelium cell activity through MET/AKT signaling pathway.

AIM: To explore the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell behaviors. METHODS: The human adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line-19 (ARPE-19) were treated by HGF or mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) inhibitor SU11274 in vitro. Cell viability was detected by a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Cell proliferation and motility was detected by a bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay and a wound healing assay, respectively. The expression levels of MET, phosphorylated MET, protein kinase B (AKT), and phosphorylated AKT proteins were determined by Western blot assay. The MET and phosphorylated MET proteins were also determined by immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: HGF increased ARPE-19 cells' viability, proliferation and migration, and induced an increase of phosphorylated MET and phosphorylated AKT proteins. SU11274 significantly reduced cell viability, proliferation, and migration and decreased the expression of MET and AKT proteins. SU11274 suppressed HGF-induced increase of viability, proliferation, and migration in ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, SU11274 also blocked HGF-induced phosphorylation of MET and AKT proteins. CONCLUSION: HGF enhances cellular viability, proliferation, and migration in RPE cells through the MET/AKT signaling pathway, whereas this enhancement is suppressed by the MET inhibitor SU11274. HGF-induced MET/AKT signaling might be a vital contributor of RPE cells survival.

Baicalein ameliorated obesity-induced cardiac dysfunction by regulating the mitochondrial unfolded protein response through NRF2 signaling.

BACKGROUND: The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) is the first line of defense against mitochondrial dysfunction in several diseases. Baicalein, which is an extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi roots, exerts mitoprotective effects on metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. However, it remains unclear whether baicalein alleviates obesity-induced cardiac damage through the UPRmt. PURPOSE: The present research designed to clarify the role of baicalein in lipotoxicity-induced myocardial apoptosis and investigated the UPRmt-related mechanism. METHODS: In the in vitro experiment, palmitic acid (PA)-treated AC16 cardiomyocytes were established to mimic obesity-induced myocardial injury. After pretreatment of AC16 cells with baicalein, the levels of cell vitality, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial oxidative stress, and UPRmt-related proteins were determined. Additionally, AC16 cells were treated with ML385 or siRNA to explore the regulation of the UPRmt by NRF2 signaling. In the in vivo experiment, male db/db mice administered with baicalein for 8 weeks were used to validate the effects of baicalein on cardiac damage induced by obesity, the UPRmt, and the NRF2-related pathway. RESULTS: In AC16 cardiomyocytes, PA dose-dependently increased the expression of UPRmt markers (HSP60, LONP1, ATF4, and ATF5). This increase was accompanied by enhanced production of mitochondrial ROS, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, and elevated the expression levels of cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax/Bcl2, eventually leading to cell apoptosis. Baicalein treatment reversed UPRmt activation and mitochondrial damage and impeded mitochondrial-mediated cell apoptosis. Moreover, NRF2 downregulation by its inhibitor ML385 or siRNA diminished baicalein-mediated NRF2 signaling activation and UPRmt inhibition and triggered mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, NRF2 deficiency more intensely activated the UPRmt, resulting in mitochondrial oxidative stress and apoptosis of PA-induced cardiomyocytes, thus indicating that NRF2 plays a vital role in mitochondrial homeostasis regulation. In the in vivo study in db/db mice, baicalein inhibited the UPRmt, enhanced the antioxidant capacity, and attenuated cardiac dysfunction through a NRF2-activated pathway. CONCLUSION: To our best knowledge, these results provide the first insight that baicalein inhibits the UPRmt to induce a protective effect against lipotoxicity-induced mitochondrial damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis via activating NRF2 signaling and suggest a new role of NRF2 in UPRmt regulation.

Abnormalities of brain structure and function in cervical spondylosis: a multi-modal voxel-based meta-analysis.

Background: Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed structural and functional brain abnormalities in patients with cervical spondylosis (CS). However, the results are divergent and inconsistent. Therefore, the present study conducted a multi-modal meta-analysis to investigate the consistent structural and functional brain alterations in CS patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in five databases to retrieve relevant resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies that measured brain functional and structural differences between CS patients and healthy controls (HCs). Separate and multimodal meta-analyses were implemented, respectively, by employing Anisotropic Effect-size Signed Differential Mapping software. Results: 13 rs-fMRI studies that used regional homogeneity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and fractional ALFF, seven voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies and one DTI study were finally included in the present research. However, no studies on surface-based morphometry (SBM) analysis were included in this research. Due to the insufficient number of SBM and DTI studies, only rs-fMRI and VBM meta-analyses were conducted. The results of rs-fMRI meta-analysis showed that compared to HCs, CS patients demonstrated decreased regional spontaneous brain activities in the right lingual gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left inferior parietal gyrus and right postcentral gyrus (PoCG), while increased activities in the right medial superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. VBM meta-analysis detected increased GMV in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right paracentral lobule (PCL), while decreased GMV in the left supplementary motor area and left MTG in CS patients. The multi-modal meta-analysis revealed increased GMV together with decreased regional spontaneous brain activity in the left PoCG, right STG and PCL among CS patients. Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that compared to HCs, CS patients had significant alterations in GMV and regional spontaneous brain activity. The altered brain regions mainly included the primary visual cortex, the default mode network and the sensorimotor area, which may be associated with CS patients' symptoms of sensory deficits, blurred vision, cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction. The findings may contribute to understanding the underlying pathophysiology of brain dysfunction and provide references for early diagnosis and treatment of CS. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, CRD42022370967.

Predicting 3-month Functional Outcome After Endovascular Thrombectomy in Patients with Anterior Circulation Occlusion with an Arterial Transit Artifact Grading System.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between arterial transit artifact (ATA), arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging, and the outcome of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to occlusion of large vessels in anterior circulation after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). METHODS: Patients with anterior circulation occlusion treated with EVT between October 2017 and December 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective study, and ATA was quantified by a 4-point scale. A favorable outcome was defined by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0-2 at 3 months. To identify independent predictors of favorable outcome, age, sex, risk factors, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, site of occlusion, cause of stroke, and early reperfusion were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analyses. Predictive accuracy was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the model. RESULTS: In this study 187 patients (age, 65.0 ± 12.5 years; men, 55%) were evaluated. Younger age (odds ratio, OR, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.92-0.98, p = 0.002), lower baseline NIHSS score (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.94, p < 0.001), and lower ATA score (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06-1.22, p < 0.001) were independently associated with favorable outcomes in multivariate analysis. The ATA score has moderate to good accuracy in predicting favorable outcomes (AUC, 0.753). CONCLUSION: A high ATA score as a potential predictor, can help identify patients who may benefit from EVT.

Time-Dependent Seismic Reliability of Coastal Bridge Piers Subjected to Nonuniform Corrosion.

Coastal bridge piers suffer random performance deterioration owing to the presence of complex nonuniform corrosion characteristics and material uncertainties. Some of these piers will also be threatened by random earthquakes during a long-term service period, and therefore, structural safety needs to be probabilistically assessed by the seismic reliability method. To deal with this problem, we present a method to calculate the time-dependent reliability of the coastal bridge pier, comprehensively considering the randomness of a seismic event, nonuniform corrosion, and material uncertainty. First, the time-dependent M-N interaction diagrams are established by using the Monte Carlo simulation method. On the basis of the interaction diagrams, the moment resistance reduction function and time-dependent moment resistance distribution are determined. Subsequently, the moment demand under the seismic load is determined using the Poisson model and the response acceleration spectrum. Then, the formulas to calculate the time-dependent reliability of a nonuniform corroded pier are derived on the basis of the theorem of total probability. The proposed method is illustrated with a case study of a coastal bridge pier. It was found that the increase in corrosion damage would obviously increase time-dependent reliability. Furthermore, the increase in submerged zone height delayed the year when the failure section shifts from the pier bottom to the bottom of the splash and tidal zone, and it reduces the failure probability of the coastal pier. The research results presented herein show that the nonuniform corrosion manifestations influence the failure mode-related time-dependent seismic reliability of the coastal bridge pier.

Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis on Mechanisms of Scutellariae Radix in the Treatment of Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury.

BACKGROUND: Multiple brain disorders are treated by Scutellaria Radix (SR), including cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R). However, more studies are needed to clarify the molecular mechanism of SR for CI/R. METHODS: The active substances and potential targets of SR and CI/R-related genes were obtained through public databases. Overlapping targets of SR and CI/R were analyzed using proteinprotein interaction (PPI) networks. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to predict the pathways of SR against CI/R, and the key components and targets were screened for molecular docking. The results of network pharmacology analysis were verified using in vitro experiments. RESULTS: 15 components and 64 overlapping targets related to SR and CI/R were obtained. The top targets were AKT1, IL-6, CAS3, TNF, and TP53. These targets have been studied by GO and KEGG to be connected to a number of signaling pathways, including MAPK, PI3K-Akt pathway, and apoptosis. Molecular docking and cell experiments helped to further substantiate the network pharmacology results. CONCLUSION: The active compound of SR was able to significantly decrease the apoptosis of HT22 cells induced by OGD/R. This finding suggests that SR is a potentially effective treatment for CI/R by modulating the MAPK and PI3K-Akt pathways.

Effects of residual S-metolachlor in soil on the phyllosphere microbial communities of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

S-metolachlor (S-ME) is a widely used chiral herbicide that can cause potential ecological risks via long-term usage. In this work, we chose a model plant, wheat, as the test material to determine the effects of applying 10 mg/kg S-ME to soil on its fresh weight, chlorophyll and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the diversity and structural composition of the phyllosphere microorganisms after 7 and 14 days of exposure. Our work showed that this concentration of residual S-ME in soil only slightly decreased plant biomass and had little effect on lipid peroxidation, the antioxidant enzyme system and chlorophyll content. Interestingly, although the test concentration of S-ME did not exert strong inhibitory effects on the physiological activities of wheat, it decreased the diversity of phyllosphere microbial communities and changed their structure, indicating that microorganisms were more sensitive stress indicators. S-ME reduced the colonization by some beneficial bacteria related to plant nitrogen fixation among the phyllosphere microorganisms, which influenced the growth and yield of wheat because these bacteria contribute to plant fitness. In addition, S-ME affected the association between the host and the composition of the phyllosphere microbial communities under different growth conditions. Our work provides insights into the ecological implications of the effects of herbicides on the phyllosphere microbiome.

Determination of organophosphorus flame retardants in fish by pressurized liquid extraction using aqueous solutions and solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-flame photometric detector.

A novel method was developed for the determination of organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) in fish. The method consists of a combination of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) using aqueous solutions and solid-phase microextraction (SPME), followed by gas chromatography-flame photometric detector (GC-FPD). The experimental parameters that influenced extraction efficiency were systematically evaluated. The optimal responses were observed by extracting 1g of fish meat with the solution of water:acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) at 150°C for 5min and acid-washed silica gel used as lipid sorbent. The obtained extract was then analyzed by SPME coupled with GC-FPD without any additional clean-up steps. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed procedure showed a wide linear range (0.90-5000ngg(-1)) obtained by analyzing the spiked fish samples with increasing concentrations of PFRs and correlation coefficient (R) ranged from 0.9900 to 0.9992. The detection limits (S/N=3) were in the range of 0.010-0.208ngg(-1) with standard deviations (RSDs) ranging from 2.0% to 9.0%. The intra-day and inter-day variations were less than 9.0% and 7.8%, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of PFRs in real fish samples with recoveries varying from 79.8% to 107.3%. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is highly effective for analyzing PFRs in fish samples.