Quantitative Assessment of Abiotic Stress on the Main Functional Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Capacity of Wheatgrass at Different Seedling Age.

The wheat seedlings of 6 days old were daily subjected to ultraviolet irradiation (irradiating for 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 min/day, respectively), Polyethylene glycol 6000 (5, 10, 15, 20, 25% in 1/2 Hoagland solution, respectively), and salinity solution (10, 25, 50, 100, 200 mM in 1/2 Hoagland solution, respectively), while the control group (CK) was supplied only with the Hoagland solution. The wheatgrass was harvested regularly seven times and the total soluble polysaccharides, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll, total polyphenol, total triterpene, total flavonoid, and proanthocyanins content were tested. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated through 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthia-zoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability, and ferric ion reducing power. Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) mathematical model was adopted to comprehensively assess the functional phytochemicals of the different treatments. The results showed that the accumulation patterns of phytochemicals under abiotic stress were complex and not always upregulated or downregulated. The antioxidant activity and functional phytochemicals content of wheatgrass were significantly affected by both the stress treatments and seedling age, while the latter affected the chemicals more efficiently. The top five highest functional phytochemicals were observed in the 200 mM NaCl treated group on the 21st and 27th day, 25% PEG treated group on the 24th day, 200 mM NaCl treated group on the 24th day, and the group of 40 min/day ultraviolet exposure on 27th day.

Prevalence and burden of headache disorders in two neighboring provinces of China.

To our knowledge, studies concerning the prevalence and burden of primary headache in China are limited to specific regions without comparison of different districts. A survey in a different area with similar climate and culture may enhance our knowledge of the factors causing primary headache and the burden of headache. We conducted a 1 year survey on the prevalence and burden of primary headache in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi. Our study also evaluated the factors behind similarities and differences affecting prevalence in the two regions of study. The survey methodology, which was used in an Expanded Program on Immunization by the World Health Organization, was adopted to investigate the prevalence and burden of headache patients. Random samples of 372 local residents in Guangdong and 182 local residents in Guangxi aged 18-65 years were invited to a face-to-face interview. The education level and mean household income were higher in Guangdong (p<0.05). The 1 year prevalence of primary headache was 22.6% (84/372) in Guangdong and 41.2% (75/182) in Guangxi (p<0.001). The average financial burden of primary headache is 2.1% and 3.7% of the mean household income in Guangdong and Guangxi, respectively (p=0.001). The district with lower economic status had a higher prevalence of primary headache, and inevitably bears a heavier burden even with the same disease cost.