Association between kidney stones and life's essential 8: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Kidney stones exhibit a robust correlation with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this research is to investigate the correlation between kidney stones and Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a newly updated assessment of cardiovascular health (CVH), among adults in the United States. METHODS: In this study, which analyzed data from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we employed LE8 scores (ranging from 0 to 100) as the independent variable, classifying them into low, moderate, and high CVH categories. The research examined the relationship between LE8 scores and kidney stones by using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models, with kidney stones as the dependent variable. RESULTS: Out of the 14,117 participants in this research, the weighted mean LE8 score was 69.70 ± 0.27. After accounting for confounding factors, there was an inverse association between higher LE8 scores and the likelihood of developing kidney stones (OR of 0.81 per 10-point increase, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.77-0.85), demonstrating a non-linear dose-response pattern. Similar patterns were observed for health behaviors, health factor scores, and kidney stones. Stratified analyses demonstrated a stable negative correlation between LE8 scores and kidney stones across different subgroups. CONCLUSION: LE8 and its subscale scores exhibited a robust and inverse correlation with the occurrence of kidney stones. Encouraging adherence to optimal CVH levels has the potential to serve as an effective strategy in preventing and minimizing the occurrence of kidney stones.

A cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between the non-high density to high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) and kidney stone risk in American adults.

BACKGROUND: Recent interest in the Non-High Density to High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ratio (NHHR) has emerged due to its potential role in metabolic disorders. However, the connection between NHHR and the development of kidney stones still lacks clarity. The primary goal of this research is to explore how NHHR correlates with kidney stone incidence. METHODS: An analysis was conducted on the data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2018, focusing on adults over 20 years diagnosed with kidney stones and those with available NHHR values. Employing weighted logistic regression and Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) models, NHHR levels' correlation with kidney stone risk was examined. Extensive subgroup analyses were conducted for enhanced reliability of the findings. RESULTS: The findings indicate a heightened kidney stone risk for those at the highest NHHR levels relative to those at the lowest (reference group). A notable non-linear correlation of NHHR with kidney stone incidence has been observed, with a significant P-value (< 0.001), consistent across various subgroups. CONCLUSION: A clear link exists between high NHHR levels and increased kidney stone risk in the American adult population. This study highlights NHHR's significance as a potential indicator in kidney stone formation.

Differential Adaptation of Biventricular Myocardial Kinetic Energy in Patients With Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot Assessed by MR Tissue Phase Mapping.

BACKGROUND: The myocardial kinetic energy (KE) and its association with pulmonary regurgitation (PR) have yet to be investigated in repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) patients. PURPOSE: To evaluate the adaptation of myocardial KE in rTOF patients by tissue phase mapping (TPM). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: A total of 49 rTOF patients (23 ± 5 years old; male = 32), 47 normal controls (22 ± 1 year old; male = 29). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3-T/2D dark-blood three-directional velocity-encoded gradient-echo sequence. ASSESSMENT: Left and right ventricle (LV, RV) myocardial KE in radial (KEr ), circumferential (KEø ), longitudinal (KEz ) directions. The proportions of KE in each direction to the sum of all KE (KErøz ): %KEr , %KEø , %KEz . PR fraction. STATISTICAL TEST: Student's t test, multivariable regression. Statistical significance: P < 0.05. RESULTS: In rTOF group, LV KEz remained normal in systole (P = 0.565) and diastole (P = 0.210), whereas diastolic LV %KEz (62% ± 14% vs. 72% ± 7%) and systolic LV %KEø (9% ± 6% vs. 20% ± 7%) were significantly decreased. The KEr and %KEr of both ventricles significantly increased in the rTOF group (RV in diastole: 6 ± 3 vs. 3 ± 1 µJ and 54% ± 13% vs. 27% ± 7%). The rTOF group exhibited significantly higher RV/LV ratios of %KEr (systole: 1.3 ± 0.3 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3) and %KEø (systole: 1.6 ± 0.8 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3) and significantly lower ratios of %KEz in systole (0.7 ± 0.2 vs. 1.0 ± 0.1) and diastole (0.5 ± 0.2 vs. 0.9 ± 0.1). In multivariable regression analysis, the RV peak systolic KErøz , RV systolic KEz , and LV diastolic %KEø were independently associated with PR fraction in the rTOF group (adjusted R2  = 0.479). DATA CONCLUSION: In rTOF patients, the adaptation of the KE proportion occurred earlier than that of the KE amplitude, and the biventricular balance of %KE was disrupted. PR may cause differential KE adaptation in RV and LV. TPM-derived KE may be useful in investigation of myocardial adaptation in rTOF patients. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.

Lower attenuation and higher kurtosis of coronary artery calcification associated with vulnerable plaque - an agatston score propensity-matched CT radiomics study.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) burden assessed by Agatston score (AS) is currently recommended to stratify patients at risk for future acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Besides the CAC burden, the biostructure of CAC may also play a vital role in the vulnerability of CAC, which CT radiomics could reveal. Propensity-score matching of the traditional risk factors and CAC burden between the ACS and asymptomatic groups could radically remove biases and allow the exploration of characteristic features of CAC in ACS. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 77 patients with ACS who had a CAC scan before percutaneous coronary intervention between 2016 and 2019. These 77 patients were one-to-two propensity-score matched for traditional risk factors of ACS and AS ranks to select 154 subjects from 2890 asymptomatic subjects. A validation cohort of 30 subjects was also enrolled. Radiomics features of each plaque were extracted and averaged in each person. Conditional logistic regression and area-under-curve analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A higher number of coronary segments involved, lower mean, median, first quartile, and standard deviation of attenuation, and increased kurtosis of attenuation of CAC were associated with the ACS group compared to the control group (p < 0.05 for all). Multivariable analysis showed that the lower median attenuation (OR = 0.969, p < 0.001) and higher Kurtosis (OR = 18.7, p < 0.001) were associated with the ACS group. The median attenuation and kurtosis significantly increase across AS ranks 1 to 4 (p = 0.001). The AUC of kurtosis (0.727) and median attenuation (0.66) were both significantly higher than that of the standard AS (AUC = 0.502) and the number of TRF (AUC = 0.537). The best cut-off of kurtosis at 2.74 yielded an accuracy of 74%, and the cut-off of median attenuation at 196 yielded an accuracy of 68%. The accuracy of kurtosis was 64%, and the accuracy of median attenuation was 55% in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: After propensity-matching traditional risk factors and CAC burden, CT radiomics highlighted that lower median attenuation and higher kurtosis were the CAC characteristics of vulnerable plaques. These features improve the understanding of the biomechanics of CAC evolution and enhance the value of CAC scan in ACS risk assessment.

The molecular structure and role of LECT2 or CHM-II in arthritis, cancer, and other diseases.

Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2 (LECT2 or LECT-2), also called chondromodulin II (ChM-II or CHM2) plays a versatile role in various tissues. It was first identified as a chemotactic factor to promote the migration of neutrophils. It was also reported as a hepatokine to regulate glucose metabolism, obesity, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. As a secreted factor, LECT2 binds to several cell surface receptors CD209a, Tie1, and Met to regulate inflammatory reaction, fibrogenesis, vascular invasion, and tumor metastasis in various cell types. As an intracellular molecule, it is associated with LECT2-mediated amyloidosis, in which LECT2 misfolding results in insoluble fibrils in multiple tissues such as the kidney, liver, and lung. Recently, LECT2 was found to be associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, involving the dysregulation of osteoclasts, mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and endothelial cells in the bone microenvironment. LECT2 is implicated in the development of cancers, such as hepatocellular carcinoma via MET-mediated PTP1B/Raf1/ERK signaling pathways and is proposed as a biomarker. The mechanisms by which LECT2 regulates diverse pathogenic conditions in various tissues remain to be fully elucidated. Further research to understand the role of LECT2 in a tissue tropism-dependent manner would facilitate the development of LECT2 as a biomarker for diagnosis and therapeutic target.

Origin of Stereoselectivity of the Photoinduced Asymmetric Phase-Transfer-Catalyzed Perfluoroalkylation of ß-Ketoesters.

The sources of asymmetric induction in the photoinduced phase-transfer-catalytic perfluoroalkylation of ß-ketoesters were interpreted by density functional theory calculations. The calculations indicated that multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions mode rather than π-π stacking interactions model better described the transition structure of the reaction. The quantitative estimation of these noncovalent interactions within the key transition states identified that the O-H···O and specific C-H···O hydrogen bonds play key roles for the stereocontrol.

9,10-Dicyanoanthracene Catalyzed Decarboxylative Alkynylation of Carboxylic Acids under Visible-Light Irradiation.

A metal-free, visible-light-induced photocatalytic procedure for decarboxylative alkynylation of carboxylic acids was reported. With 9,10-dicyanoanthracene as the photoredox catalyst, the reaction covered a broad scope of α-amino acids, α-oxo acids, and α-keto acids with blue LED irradiation at room temperature under an atmosphere of argon, delivering alkynyl products in moderate to excellent yields. Natural sun light also promoted this alkynylation strategy. This work represents the first example of an organophotocatalytic method for decarboxylative alkynylation of carboxylic acids.

Improved PPP Ambiguity Resolution Considering the Stochastic Characteristics of Atmospheric Corrections from Regional Networks.

With the increased availability of regional reference networks, Precise Point Positioning (PPP) can achieve fast ambiguity resolution (AR) and precise positioning by assimilating the satellite fractional cycle biases (FCBs) and atmospheric corrections derived from these networks. In such processing, the atmospheric corrections are usually treated as deterministic quantities. This is however unrealistic since the estimated atmospheric corrections obtained from the network data are random and furthermore the interpolated corrections diverge from the realistic corrections. This paper is dedicated to the stochastic modelling of atmospheric corrections and analyzing their effects on the PPP AR efficiency. The random errors of the interpolated corrections are processed as two components: one is from the random errors of estimated corrections at reference stations, while the other arises from the atmospheric delay discrepancies between reference stations and users. The interpolated atmospheric corrections are then applied by users as pseudo-observations with the estimated stochastic model. Two data sets are processed to assess the performance of interpolated corrections with the estimated stochastic models. The results show that when the stochastic characteristics of interpolated corrections are properly taken into account, the successful fix rate reaches 93.3% within 5 min for a medium inter-station distance network and 80.6% within 10 min for a long inter-station distance network.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,3-Oxazolidine Derivatives with Multi-Component Reaction and Research of Kinetic Resolution.

An efficient multi-component reaction to synthesize multi-substituted 1,3-oxazolidine compounds of high optical purity was described. All the products were well-characterized and the absolute configuration of one chiral center was determined. The plausible mechanism was proposed and a kinetic resolution of epoxides process was confirmed.

Effects of ultrasonic-assisted pH shift treatment on physicochemical properties of electrospinning nanofibers made from rapeseed protein isolates.

Electrospinning nanofibers (NFs) made from natural proteins have drawn increasing attention recently. Rapeseed meal is a by-product that rich in protein but not fully utilized due to poor properties. Therefore, modification of rapeseed protein isolates (RPI) is necessary to expand applications. In this study, pH shift alone or ultrasonic-assisted pH shift treatment was adopted, the solubility of RPI, along with the conductivity and viscosity of the electrospinning solution were detected. Moreover, the microstructure and functional characteristics of the electrospinning NFs, as well as the antibacterial activity of clove essential oil loaded-NFs were investigated. The tested parameters were remarkably improved after different treatments compared with the control, and synergistic effects were observed, especially under alkaline conditions. Hence, pH12.5 + US showed the maximum value of solubility, conductivity, and viscosity, which was more than 7-fold, 3-fold, and almost 1-fold higher than the control respectively. Additionally, SEM and AFM images showed a finer and smoother surface of NFs after treatments, and the finest diameter of 216.7 nm was obtained after pH12.5 + US treatment in comparison with 450.0 nm in control. FTIR spectroscopy of NFs demonstrated spatial structure changes of RPI, and improved thermal stability and mechanical strength of NFs were achieved after different treatments. Furthermore, an inhibition zone with a diameter of 22.8 mm was observed from the composite NFs. This study indicated the effectiveness of ultrasonic-assisted pH shift treatment on the physicochemical properties improvement and functional enhancement of NFs made from RPI, as well as the potential antibacterial application of the composite NFs in the future.

Survival nomogram for high-grade bladder cancer patients after surgery based on the SEER database and external validation cohort.

Background: The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive and effective nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) rates in postoperative patients with high-grade bladder urothelial carcinoma. Methods: Patients diagnosed with high-grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder after radical cystectomy (RC) between 2004 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were enrolled. We randomly split (7:3) these patients into the primary cohort and the internal validation cohort. Two hundred eighteen patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were collected as the external validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were carried out to seek prognostic factors of postoperative patients with high-grade bladder cancer (HGBC). According to these significant prognostic factors, a simple-to-use nomogram was established for predicting OS. Their performances were evaluated using the concordance index (C-index), the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: The study included 4,541 patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that T stage, positive lymph nodes (PLNs), age, chemotherapy, regional lymph nodes examined (RLNE), and tumor size were correlated with OS. The C-index of the nomogram in the training cohort, internal validation cohort, and external validation cohort were 0.700, 0.717, and 0.681, respectively. In the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, the ROC curves showed that the 1-, 3-, and 5-year areas under the curve (AUCs) were higher than 0.700, indicating that the nomogram had good reliability and accuracy. The results of calibration and DCA showed good concordance and clinical applicability. Conclusion: A nomogram was developed for the first time to predict personalized 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS in HGBC patients after RC. The internal and external validation confirmed the excellent discrimination and calibration ability of the nomogram. The nomogram can help clinicians design personalized treatment strategies and assist with clinical decisions.

Development and validation of a vesicle-mediated transport-associated gene signature for predicting prognosis and immune therapy response in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. The progression of numerous malignancies has been linked to abnormal vesicle-mediated transport-related gene (VMTRG) expression. The prognostic importance of VMTRGs in HCC is uncertain nonetheless. METHODS: Utilizing HCC data from TCGA and ICGC, we employed univariate cox analysis, unsupervised clustering, and lasso analysis to construct molecular subtypes and prognostic signature of HCC based on the prognostic-associated VMTRGs expression levels. Subsequently, we validated the expression levels of the signature genes. We investigated the probable pathways using gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Six methods were utilized to compare immune cell infiltration between two risk groups. Moreover, the "pRRophetic" algorithm was utilized to test the drug sensitivity of both groups. RESULTS: We identified two distinct subtypes with divergent biological behaviors and immune functionality through unsupervised clustering. Subtype C1 demonstrated a poorer prognosis. A prognostic signature incorporating two VMTRGs (KIF2C and RAC1) was formulated. Immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR analyses unveiled a significant upregulation of these pivotal genes within HCC tissues. The prognosis was worse for the high-risk group, which also had a higher clinicopathological grade, higher levels of tumor mutation burden (TMB), a higher immunological infiltration of CD8 + T cells, a higher expression of immune checkpoints, and enhanced immunotherapy efficacy. These two risk groups also have varied chemotherapy drug sensitivities. CONCLUSIONS: Based on VMTRGs, we have developed a signature that assists in accurate prognosis prediction and formulating personalized treatment strategies for HCC patients.

Development and validation of a ubiquitin-proteasome system gene signature for prognostic prediction and immune microenvironment evaluation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The ubiquitin proteasome has a major role in the development of many tumors. However, the prognostic importance of ubiquitin proteasome-system genes (UPSGs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not fully defined. METHODS: The TCGA and ICGC datasets were utilized to obtain transcriptional profiling data as well as clinicopathological information about HCC. The 3-UPSGs signature for the TCGA cohort was developed via univariate and LASSO Cox regression analyses. Differential expression of genes was demonstrated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Biological pathways were studied using GSVA and GSEA. Six algorithms were used to compare immune infiltration between the two risk groups. Furthermore, drug sensitivity was measured using the "pRRophetic" R package. The predictive capacity of the 3-UPSGs signature for sensitivity to immunotherapy was also explored. Moreover, we performed a pan-cancer analysis of the 3-UPSGs signature. RESULTS: A risk model containing 3 UPSGs (DCAF13, CDC20 and PSMB5) was developed. IHC and qRT-PCR results showed that signature genes were significantly overexpressed in HCC tissues. The high-risk group had a worse prognosis, with a higher clinicopathological grade, higher levels of tumor mutation burden (TMB), elevated levels of immune checkpoint (IC) expression, as well as increased sensitivity to immunotherapy. The two risk groups also differ in their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Furthermore, the three UPSGs may play crucial roles in the progression of multiple types of cancers. CONCLUSION: We created a 3-UPSGs signature to estimate the prognosis of HCC and to assist in individualized treatment.

Machine learning in non-small cell lung cancer radiotherapy: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: Machine learning is now well-developed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) radiotherapy. But the research trend and hotspots are still unclear. To investigate the progress in machine learning in radiotherapy NSCLC, we performed a bibliometric analysis of associated research and discuss the current research hotspots and potential hot areas in the future. Methods: The involved researches were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC). We used R-studio software, the Bibliometrix package and VOSviewer (Version 1.6.18) software to perform bibliometric analysis. Results: We found 197 publications about machine learning in radiotherapy for NSCLC in the WoSCC, and the journal Medical Physics contributed the most articles. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was the most frequent publishing institution, and the United States contributed most of the publications. In our bibliometric analysis, "radiomics" was the most frequent keyword, and we found that machine learning is mainly applied to analyze medical images in the radiotherapy of NSCLC. Conclusion: The research we identified about machine learning in NSCLC radiotherapy was mainly related to the radiotherapy planning of NSCLC and the prediction of treatment effects and adverse events in NSCLC patients who were under radiotherapy. Our research has added new insights into machine learning in NSCLC radiotherapy and could help researchers better identify hot research areas in the future.

Corrigendum: Machine learning in non-small cell lung cancer radiotherapy: a bibliometric analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1082423.].

The efficacy of adding hyperthermia to the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients based on the states of EGFR.

BACKGROUND: The study aims to explore the efficacy of adding hyperthermia to the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients based on the states of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 205 advanced NSCLC patients who were received hyperthermia plus other treatment (hyperthermia group) or non- hyperthermia and other treatments (non- hyperthermia group). The OS and progression free survival (PFS) were retrospectively estimated. Using Kaplan-Meier and the log-rank test compare the OS and PFS between the groups. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 22 months. The Univariate analysis have shown that 1-year OS and PFSfirst rates in the hyperthermia group and non- hyperthermia group were 83.3% vs 71.5% (P=0.010) and 62.0% vs 42.7% (P=0.001). The subgroup analyses revealed that patients didn't have EGFR mutant who received hyperthermia had significantly higher 1 year OS and PFSfirst rates than those treated with non- hyperthermia (OS: 79.1% vs 65.2% P=0.037, PFS: 64.2% vs 36.5%, P=0.001). For patients with EGFR mutation, there was no significant difference between the two groups. The PFSfirst in first-line and PFSpost in posterior-line was no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study revealed that adding hyperthermia to the treatment of NSCLC patients without EGFR mutation had better prognosis than those who did not adding hyperthermia to the regimen. Moreover, adding hyperthermia in first-line or in posterior-line treatment was no significant difference. However, these results need more prospective studies to confirm the conclusions.

Predictive nomograms for early death in metastatic bladder cancer.

Background: Metastatic bladder cancer (MBC) is an incurable malignancy, which is prone to early death. We aimed to establish models to evaluating the risk of early death in patients with metastatic bladder cancer. Methods: The data of 1,264 patients with MBC registered from 2010 to 2015 were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We utilized X-tile software to determine the optimal cut-off points of age and tumor size in diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify significant independent risk factors for total early death and cancer-specific early death, then we construct two practical nomograms. In order to validate our prediction models, we performed calibration plots, receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) curves, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC). Result: A total of 1,216 patients with MBC were included in this study. 463 patients died prematurely (≤3 months), and among them 424 patients died of cancer-specific early death. The nomogram of total premature death was created by surgery, chemotherapy, tumor size, histological type, liver metastases, and nomogram of cancer-specific early death was based on surgery, race, tumor size, histological type, chemotherapy, and metastases (liver, brain). Through the verify of calibration plots, receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) curves, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC), we concluded that nomogram were a valid tool with excellent clinical utility to help clinicians predict premature death in MBC patients. Conclusions: The nomograms derived from the analysis of patients with MBC, which can provide refined prediction of premature death and furnish clinicians with useful ideas for patient-specific treatment options and follow-up scheduling.

Fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a 7.5 L ultrasound-enhanced fermenter: Effect of sonication conditions on ethanol production, intracellular Ca2+ concentration and key regulating enzyme activity in glycolysis.

In this study, the effect of sonication on the fermentation process of a single-celled fungus was examined. During the experiment, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) was used as the starting strain for ethanol fermentation (batch fermentation) in a 7.5 L automated fermentation tank. The fermentation tank connected with a six-frequency ultrasonic equipment. Non-sonication treatment was set up as the control. Sonication treatment with power density of 280 W/L and 48 h of treatment time were set up as trial groups for investigating the influence of different ultrasound frequency including 20, 23, 25, 28, 33 and 40 kHz on the changes in dry cell-weight, glucose consumption rate, and ethanol yield. The results showed that the dry cell-weight, glucose consumption rate, and ethanol content reached the best results under the ultrasonic condition of 28 kHz ultrasound frequency in comparison with other ultrasound frequency. The dry cell-weight and ethanol content of the 28 kHz ultrasonic treatment group increased by 17.30% and 30.79%, respectively in comparison with the control group The residual sugar content dropped to a lower level within 24 h, which was consistent with the change in ethanol production. Besides, the results found that the glucose consumption rate increased compared to the control. It indicated that ultrasound accelerated glucose consumption contributed to increase the rate of ethanol output. In order to explore the mechanism of sonication enhanced the content of ethanol output by S. cerevisiae, the morphology, permeability of S. cerevisiae and key enzyme activities of ethanol synthesis were investigated before and after sonication treatment. The results showed that after sonication treatment, the extracellular nucleic acid protein content and intracellular Ca2+ concentration increased significantly. The morphology of S. cerevisiae was observed by SEM and found that the surface of the strain had wrinkles and depressions after ultrasonic treatment. furthermore after sonication treatment, the activities of three key enzymes which catalyze three irreversible reactions in glycolysis metabolism, namely, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase increased by 59.02%, 109.05% and 87.27%, respectively. In a word, low-intensity ultrasound enhance the rate of ethanol output by S. cerevisiae might due to enhancing the growth and cell permeability of strains, and increasing the activities of three key enzymes of ethanol biosynthesis.

Advances in sulfur mustard-induced DNA adducts: Characterization and detection.

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a blister chemical warfare agent with severe cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. It can extensively alkylate important macromolecules in organisms, such as proteins, DNA, and lipids, and produce a series of metabolites, among which the characteristic ones can be used as biomarkers. The exact toxicological mechanisms of SM remain unclear but mainly involve the DNA lesions induced by alkylation and oxidative stress caused by glutathione depletion. Various methods have been used to analyze DNA damage caused by SM. Among these methods, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology stands out and makes it possible to observe damage in view of biomarkers induced by SM. Sample preparation is critical for detection by LC-MS/MS and mainly includes DNA isolation, adduct hydrolysis, and adduct purification. Moreover, optimization of chromatographic conditions, selection of MS transitions, and quantitative strategies are also essential. SM-DNA adducts are generally considered to be N7-HETEG, O6-HETEG, N7-BisG, and N3-HETEA. This article proposes some other possibilities of SM-DNA adducts for the identification of SM genotoxicity.

Inhibition Effect of Ultrasound on the Formation of Lysinoalanine in Rapeseed Protein Isolates during pH Shift Treatment.

pH shift is an effective technique for modifying functional properties of food proteins. However, it can increase lysinoalanine (LAL) content under alkali conditions, thus limiting the use of proteins. This study investigated the inhibition effect of ultrasonic parameters on LAL formation in rapeseed protein isolates (RPI) during pH shift treatment (pH-ST). Results showed that the content of LAL decreased by 49.5% and 74.1%, following the use of ultrasound (28 kHz, 40 W/L, 40 °C, and 30 min) under alkali and acidic treatment, respectively. Structural analysis showed that after ultrasonic irradiation, increased sulfhydryl groups and amino acids reduced the dehydroalanine and, thus, decreased LAL content. Particle size, secondary structure, and microstructure (SEM, AFM) analyses showed relative dispersion in protein distribution, reducing intermolecular or intramolecular cross-linking, thereby lowering the LAL content. Thus, ultrasonic-aided pH-ST may be an operational technique toward minimizing LAL formation in RPI.