UHPLC-PDA-Q-TOF-MS-α-amylase-FLD activity detection system and molecular docking.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional and some scientific literature document the antidiabetic effects of the Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS). However, the bioactive compounds of ZSS responsible for the antidiabetic effects are not well known. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the material basis of the antidiabetic effects of ZSS by inhibiting α-amylase. METHODOLOGY: An online analysis platform was established and optimized using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-photo-diode array-quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry-α-amylase-fluorescence detector (UHPLC-PDA-Q-TOF-MS-α-amylase-FLD) system to screen α-amylase inhibitors in ZSS rapidly. The inhibitory effect of these compounds was confirmed by molecular docking screening. and the molecular interactions between α-amylase and active compounds were evaluated, which strongly supported the experimental results. RESULTS: Seventy-eight compounds were identified in the ZSS extract, eleven of which were screened to have significant α-amylase binding activity. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using an established platform to screen for effective components in ZSS, providing a practical method for the rapid screening of potential antidiabetic active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine.

A Rapid and Accurate UHPLC Method for Determination of Monosaccharides in Polysaccharides of Different Sources of Radix Astragali and Its Immune Activity Analysis.

With the escalating demand for Astragalus polysaccharides products developed from Radix Astragali (RA), the necessity for quality control of polysaccharides in RA has become increasingly urgent. In this study, a specific method for the simultaneous determination of seven monosaccharides in polysaccharides extracted from Radix Astragali (RA) has been developed and validated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography equipped with an ultraviolet detector (UHPLC-UV) for the first time. The 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) derivatizations were separated on a C18 column (Waters ACQUITYTM, Milfor, MA, USA, 1.8 µm, 2.1 × 100 mm) using gradient elution with a binary system of 5 mm ammonium formate (0.1% formic acid)-acetonitrile for 24 min. Additionally, seven monosaccharides showed good linear relationships (R2, 0.9971-0.9995), adequate precision (RSD < 4.21%), and high recoveries (RSD < 4.70%). The established method was used to analyze 109 batches of RA. Results showed that the Astragalus polysaccharides (APSs) mainly consist of mannose (Man), rhamnose (Rha), glucose (Glu), galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara), xylose (Xyl); and fucose (Fuc); however, their composition was different among RA samples from different growth patterns, species, growth years, and origins, and the growth mode of RA and the age of wild-simulated RA can be accurately distinguished by principal component analysis (PCA). In addition, the immunological activity of APSs were also evaluated jointly by measurement of the NO release with RAW264.7, with the results showing that APSs have a promoting effect on the release of NO and exhibit a significant correlation with Man, Glu, Xyl, and Fuc contents. Accordingly, the new established monosaccharides analytical method and APS-immune activity determination in this study can provide a reference for quality evaluation and the establishment of quality standards for RA.

Preliminary Study on Total Component Analysis and In Vitro Antitumor Activity of Eucalyptus Leaf Residues.

Eucalyptus globulus is widely introduced and cultivated in Yunnan province. Its foliage is mainly used to extract eucalyptus oil, but the by-product eucalyptus residue has not been fully utilized. Based on the above reasons, in this study, we sought to explore the comprehensive utilization potential of eucalyptus resources. The total composition of eucalyptus residue was analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF MS), and the active components and nutrient components of eucalyptus leaf residue were determined by chemical methods and liquid phase techniques. Meanwhile, the antitumor activity of triterpenoids in eucalyptus leaves was evaluated by tetramethylazazole blue colorimetric assay (MTT). The results of qualitative analysis indicated that 55 compounds were identified from eucalyptus residue, including 28 phloroglucinols, 17 terpenoids, 3 flavonoids, 5 fatty acids, 1 amino acid and 2 polyphenols. Among them, the pentacyclic triterpenoids, in eucalyptus residue, were mainly oleanane type and urthane type. The results of quantitative determination indicated that the content of triterpenoid compounds was 2.84% in eucalyptus residue, which could be enhanced to 82% by silicone separation. The antitumor activity results showed that triterpenoid compounds have moderate inhibitory effects on human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231, gastric adenocarcinoma cell SGC-7901 and cervical cancer cell Hela. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 50.67, 43.12 and 42.65 µg/mL, respectively. In this study, the triterpenoids from eucalyptus leaf residues were analyzed to reveal that the triterpenoids from eucalyptus leaf have antitumor effects and have potential to be developed as antitumor drugs.

Rapid Determination of Tetracyclines in Drinking and Environmental Waters Using Fully Automatic Solid-Phase Extraction with Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

The abuse and irrational use of tetracyclines (TCs) in human medicine and animal husbandry has become a serious concern, affecting the ecological environment and human health. The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive and selective method using fully automatic solid-phase extraction coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of twelve TCs in water. Four isotope-labeled internal standards for TCs were used to correct matrix effects. Several parameters affecting extraction efficiency were systematically optimized, and the optimum experimental conditions found were 1.0 L water sample with 0.5 g/L Na2EDTA (pH 3.0) extracted and enriched by CNW HLB cartridge and eluted by 4 mL of acetone:methanol (v/v, 1:1). The enrichment factors were up to 798-1059 but only requiring about 60 min per six samples. Under the optimized conditions, the linearity of the method ranged from 0.2 to 100 µg/L for 12 TCs, the detection limits were as low as 0.01-0.15 ng/L, and the recoveries were in the range of 70%-118%, with relative standard deviations less than 15%. The developed method can be successfully utilized for the determination of 12 TCs in pure water, tap water, river water, and mariculture seawater. In summary, three and six TCs were detected in river water and mariculture seawater, respectively, with total concentrations of 0.074-0.520 ng/L (mean 0.248 ng/L) and 0.792-58.369 ng/L (12.629 ng/L), respectively. Tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) were the dominant TCs in river water, while doxytetracycline (DXC) and OTC were dominant in mariculture seawater.

[Determination of 11 nutrients in liquid milk by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of 11 nutritional components(thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, biotin, choline, L-carnitine) in liquid milk. METHODS: Milk samples were shaken with 20 mmol/L ammonium formate solution and heated in a water bath at 100 ℃ for 30 min, then incubated with papain and acid phosphatase at 45 ℃ for 16 h, the lower liquid was collected after centrifugation for analysis. UPLC separation was performed on an ACQUITY~(TM) HSS T3(3.0 mm×150 mm, 1.8 µm) column, 2 mmol/L ammonium formate(containing 0.1% formic acid) solution and acetonitrile(containing 0.1% formic acid) were used as mobile phase. Quantitative detection was performed by internal standard method. RESULTS: 11 nutritional components can be effectively separated and detected in 12 min, and the linear correlation coefficients(R~2) were all above 0.995. The limits of detection(LODs) were between 0.05 and 0.50 µg/L, and the limits of quantification(LOQs) were between 0.20 and 1.25 µg/L. The recovery rates of three-level addition were 85.6%-119.3%, and the precision RSDs were between 3.68% and 7.82%(n=6). Based on the detection of 60 liquid milk samples from 5 different animals, it was found that the contents of 11 nutrients in liquid milk from different milk sources were significantly different, but pyridoxine could not be detected. CONCLUSION: The method can quantitatively detect 11 water-soluble nutrients, including free and bound forms, by effective enzymolysis. It is sensitive, reproducible and can meet the needs of quantitative detection.

[Determination of perchlorate and chlorate in drinks by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for determination of perchlorate and chlorate in drinks by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) based on isotopic internal standard method. METHODS: The perchlorate and chlorate residue in liquid drinks were extracted with methanol, in solid drinks with acetic acid solution, then centrifuged. The supernatant was cleaned-up with PSA/C18 cleanup tube. The separation of perchlorate and chlorate was carried out on a Acquity CSH fluorophenyl column(100 mm×2.1mm, 1.7 µm) and the detection was performed with tandem mass spectrometry with internal standard method for quantification. RESULTS: The peak area ratio of perchlorate and chlorate had a good linear relationship with their mass concentration within their respective linear ranges, with correlation coefficients(r) greater than 0.999. The limits of detection of perchlorate and chlorate were 0.2and 1 µg/L respectively and the limits of quantification were 0.5 and 3 µg/L respectively. The mean recoveries of two compounds were from 84.0% to 105.5% with relative standard deviations from 4.2% to 17.0% and 82.7% to 112.1% with relative standard deviations from 5.5% to 18.4%(n=6), respectively. The perchlorates in 11 kinds of beverage samples were 0.53-4.12 µg/L, chlorates were 3.27-61.86 µg/L. CONCLUSION: This method is simple, sensitive, accurate and reliable, which is suitable for the determination of perchlorate and chlorate in drinks.

[Determination of twelve halobenzoquinones in drinking water by solid phase extraction-ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for twelve halobenzoquinones(HBQs) in drinking water by solid phase extraction-ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry(SPE-UPLC-MS/MS). METHODS: The drinking water was acidified with formic acid and concentrated by Bond Elut Plexa solid phase extraction column. The sample solution was separated using Waters ACQUITY HSS T3 column(100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 µm) with gradient elution using methanol-water containing 0.1% formic acid as mobile phase. The target compouds were detected in negtive electrospray ionization(ESI~-) and multiple reaction monitoring. RESULTS: The concentration of twelve HBQs showed good linearity in the range 5.0-150.0 ng/mL, respectively, with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.999. The limits of detection(LOD) of twelve HBQs were lower than 2.0 ng/mL, and the limits of quantification(LOQ) for twelve HBQs were lower than 5.0 ng/mL, respectively. The recoveries of three levels in the matrix were 70.0%-84.0%. The matrix effffect was 0.08-0.64. CONCLUSION: The SPE-UPLC-MS/MS method has high sensitivity, good accuracy and fast analysis speed for the detection of halobenzoquinones in drinking water.

[Determination of triclocarban and triclosan in urine by QuEChERS extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

Objective: To establish a method for the determination of triclocarban (TCC) and triclosan (TCS) in urine by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) after purification by QuEChERS. Methods: In May 2022, urine samples were extracted by acetonitrile, purified by QuEChERS, separated by Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 µm), and eluated with water-acetonitrile as mobile phase gradient at a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. The detection was conducted in negative ion mode (ESI(-)) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scanning, it was quantified with a internal standard method, and the methodology was verified. Results: The linear ranges of TCC and TCS were 0.5-100.0 µg/L and 1.0-100.0 µg/L, and the correlation coefficients were 0.9997 and 0.9991, respectively. The limits of detection and quantitation of TCC and TCS were 0.17 and 0.33 µg/L, and 0.5 and 1.0 µg/L, respectively. The recoveries of TCC and TCS were 100.1%-102.8% and 96.7%-108.6%, and the relative standard deviations were 4.9%-6.7% and 4.1%-8.3%, respectively, at 2.0, 10.0 and 80.0 µg/L. Conclusion: QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method is simple, rapid, sensitive and reproducible, and can be used for rapid and accurate simultaneous detection of TCC and TCS exposure levels in occupational population.

Assessment of Purity, Functionality, Stability, and Lipid Composition of Cyclofos-nAChR-Detergent Complexes from Torpedo californica Using Lipid Matrix and Macroscopic Electrophysiology.

The main objective of the present study was to find detergents that can maintain the functionality and stability of the Torpedo californica nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (Tc-nAChR). We examined the functionality, stability, and purity analysis of affinity-purified Tc-nAChR solubilized in detergents from the Cyclofos (CF) family [cyclofoscholine 4 (CF-4), cyclofoscholine 6 (CF-6), and cyclofloscholine 7 (CF-7)]. The functionality of the CF-Tc-nAChR-detergent complex (DC) was evaluated using the Two Electrode Voltage Clamp (TEVC) method. To assess stability, we used the florescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) in Lipidic Cubic Phase (LCP) methodology. We also performed a lipidomic analysis using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) to evaluate the lipid composition of the CF-Tc-nAChR-DCs. The CF-4-Tc-nAChR-DC displayed a robust macroscopic current (- 200 ± 60 nA); however, the CF-6-Tc-nAChR-DC and CF-7-Tc-nAChR-DC displayed significant reductions in the macroscopic currents. The CF-6-Tc-nAChR and CF-4-Tc-nAChR displayed higher fractional florescence recovery. Addition of cholesterol produced a mild enhancement of the mobile fraction on the CF-6-Tc-nAChR. The lipidomic analysis revealed that the CF-7-Tc-nAChR-DC displayed substantial delipidation, consistent with the lack of stability and functional response of this complex. Although the CF-6-nAChR-DC complex retained the largest amount of lipids, it showed a loss of six lipid species [SM(d16:1/18:0); PC(18:2/14:1); PC(14:0/18:1); PC(16:0/18:1); PC(20:5/20:4), and PC(20:4/20:5)] that are present in the CF-4-nAChR-DC. Overall, the CF-4-nAChR displayed robust functionality, significant stability, and the best purity among the three CF detergents; therefore, CF-4 is a suitable candidate to prepare Tc-nAChR crystals for structural studies.

Characterization of pneumococcal serotype 7F in vaccine conjugation.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a highly invasive bacterial pathogen that can cause a range of illnesses. Pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (CPS) are the main virulence factors that causes invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Pneumococcal CPS serotype 7F along with a few other serotypes is more invasive and likely to cause IPD. Therefore, 7F is a target for pneumococcal vaccine development, and is included in the two recently approved multi-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccines, i.e. VAXNEUVANCE and PREVNAR 20.To support process and development of our 15-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine (PCV15), chromatographic methods have been developed for 7F polysaccharide and conjugate characterization. A size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) method with UV, light scattering and refractive index detections was employed for concentration, size and conformation analysis. A reversed-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography (RP-UPLC) method was used for analysis of conjugate monosaccharide composition and degree of conjugation. The collective information obtained by these chromatographic analysis provided insights into the pneumococcal conjugate and conjugation process.

Rapid identification of chemical constituents in Hugan tablets by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Hugan tablet is a Chinese medicine preparation. It is composed of Bupleuri Radix, Artemisiae Scopariae Herba, Isatidis Radix, Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus, Suis Fellis Pulvis, and Vigna radiata L. It has the effects of dispersing stagnated liver qi, strengthening the spleen and eliminating food to be used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis and early cirrhosis. However, the chemical composition of Hugan tablet is complex and not fully understood, which hampers the research in pharmacology. In this study, a reliable method for the rapid analysis and identification of the chemical components in Hugan tablet by their characteristic fragments and neutral losses using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry was developed. A total of 144 chemical components were tentatively identified, including 57 organic acids, 19 flavonoids, 23 alkaloids, 18 lignans, 7 saponins, and 20 others. These components may be the active ingredients of Hugan tablet. The established method can systematically and rapidly analyze the chemical components in Hugan tablet, which provides a basis for the pharmacodynamic substance study and is meaningful for the quality control of Hugan tablet.

Cellular toxicity and pharmacokinetic study of butachlor by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based on tandem mass spectrometry cubed technique.

Butachlor is an aromatic amide compound that plays a role as a herbicide, a xenobiotic, and an environmental contaminant. The aim of this work was to develop a highly selective and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method based on the tandem mass spectrometry cubed technique to determine butachlor in a biological matrix. Butachlor and internal standard acetochlor were separated on a Waters Acquity ultra-performance liquid chromatography BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 µm) with gradient elution using 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (A) and acetonitrile (B) as mobile phases. The transitions selected for tandem mass spectrometry cubed quantitative analysis in positive ion mode were: for butachlor, mass-to-charge ratio 312.2→238.1→162.1; for acetochlor, mass-to-charge ratio 270.1→224.0→148.1. The total running time for each sample was 5.5 min. The ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry cubed method showed a linear relationship (R2 ≥ 0.995) in the concentration range of 0.5-100 ng/ml. The intra and interday accuracies are within the range of -10.6%-4.3% and precisions are between 4.48% and 13.14%. The novelty of the method is the use of tandem mass spectrometry cubed scanning mode, which improves selectivity and sensitivity. The results indicated that butachlor was cellular toxic. The safety of butachlor should be considered when it is used as a herbicide.

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry revealed the significantly different metabolic profiles of Auricularia cornea growing on weakly acidic and weakly alkaline substrates.

Auricularia cornea is a widely prized basidiomycetous mushroom with culinary and medicine value, which is cultivated artificially on a large scale in China. However, little attention has been paid to the differences in metabolic profiles under different pH growth conditions. In the present study, weakly acidic and weakly alkaline artificial substrates were developed and used for the cultivation of A. cornea, and the metabolic profiles of its fruiting bodies were determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results show that the weakly alkaline substrate environment promoted mycelial growth, increased body surface area, and improved yield and transformation efficiency, but attenuated metabolite accumulation by A. cornea. A total of 412 different metabolites were identified in negative and positive ion mode, of which 99 had significantly different amounts and covered 51 metabolic pathways. Principal component analysis and orthogonal patrial least squares discriminant analysis showed clear separation between two treatments, indicating different metabolic profiles. The different metabolites mainly included seven chemical categories, including amino acids and derivatives, nucleotides and derivatives, phenolic acids, organic acids, lipids, flavonoids and alkaloids. This study revealed the biological significance of these metabolites, which could be useful for further unexplored compounds and possible biological functions of A. cornea.

The antitumor activity and pharmacokinetics research of PPD-Arg (Tos) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

In this study, a new compound PPD-Arg (Tos) (PAT), an arginine derivative of 20(s)-PPD, was synthesized via Fmoc-Arg (Tos)-OH and 20(s)-PPD. The pharmacokinetic properties in rats, in vitro cytotoxicity, and cell apoptosis rates of protopanaxadiol (PPD) and PAT were determined. A sensitive bioanalytical method for pharmacokinetics using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed and validated. The result showed that the Tmax and t1/2 of PAT were significantly enhanced, indicating a long-lasting effect in vivo. Compared to the PPD group, the PAT group showed higher bioavailability. PAT also exhibited higher antitumor efficacy than PPD against three cancer cells, especially the strongest inhibitory activity against Huh-7, even more potent than the positive control of paclitaxel. Therefore, the apoptosis assay based on annexin V/propidium iodide-combined staining against Huh-7 further demonstrated that PAT could induce apoptosis of Huh-7 cells. Better pharmacokinetic properties and antitumor efficacy of the arginine derivative of 20(s)-PPD were important. These findings could provide references for further clinical research on amino acid derivatives of PPD as antitumor agents.

Effects of processing on the efficacy and metabolites of Cistanche tubulosa using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Cistanche tubulosa (CT), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has always been processed with rice wine for the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS) since time immemorial. To explore the effect of processing on the efficacy and metabolites of CT in vivo, a comprehensive method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was established for the analysis of the altered endogenous metabolites in response to the intervention of the raw and processed CT in KYDS model and the metabolites of the absorbed compounds in rats after gastric perfusion. It was shown that CT could improve KYDS, and the effect of the processed product was more significant. A total of 47 differential metabolites were identified in urine. Pathway analysis proved that purine metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; and citrate cycle were the main pathways. Furthermore, 53 prototypes and 48 metabolites have been detected in rats. This was the first systematic research focus on the metabolites of raw and processed CT in vivo, which could provide a scientific basis for explaining the increasing efficiency of the processed CT. Moreover, it provides a valuable strategy for analyzing the chemical components and metabolites of other TCM prescriptions.

A simplified D3 -creatine dilution method for skeletal muscle mass determination with dynamic correction of creatinine and D3 -creatinine using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

This study developed a simple method for muscle mass determination based on D3 -creatine dilution by removing the matrix effects of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis through mutual correction of creatinine and D3 -creatinine. Rats were administered an oral tracer dose of D3 -creatine at age 6 weeks. Creatinine and D3 -creatinine in urine were detected using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after diluting 20 times to obtain D3 -creatinine enrichment factor (mole percent excess). The mole percent excess obtained from peak area could be used to calculate muscle mass using the improved formula. The limit of detection was 0.500 ng/mL for D3 -creatinine. Creatinine and D3 -creatinine could be mutually corrected because of the same matrix effect, and D3 -creatine spillage was negligible within 0.22%. Isotopic steady time was consistent with that obtained using conventional methods. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated the satisfying consistency between the proposed method and magnetic resonance imaging. This is a simple and rapid measuring method of muscle mass based on D3 -creatine dilution that requires no accurate quantification of creatinine and D3 -creatinine concentrations and no urine sample collection to obtain D3 -creatine spillage.

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of five bioactive components in the Corydalis yanhusuo total alkaloids transdermal patch following Shenque acupoint application in rats assessed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the Corydalis yanhusuo total alkaloids transdermal patch (CTTP) following Shenque acupoint application in rats. The concentrations of corydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydrocolumbamine, protopine, and dehydrocorydaline in rat plasma and various tissues were simultaneously detected by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after Shenque acupoint administration of CTTP. Plasma, heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney tissue samples were collected at specific times and separated by gradient elution on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 column (1.8 µm, 100 mm × 2.1 mm) with a mobile phase of 0.01% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile-0.01% formic acid. The methodological results showed that the selectivity, linear range, accuracy, precision, stability, matrix effect, and extraction recovery of the established method met the requirements of biological sample analysis. The results indicated that CTTP following Shenque acupoint administration rapidly delivered adequate drug into rat blood and maintained an effective plasma level for a significantly longer time than non-acupoint administration. Furthermore, CTTP effectively reached the liver through Shenque acupoint administration and showed tissue selectivity. The data obtained could provide a prospect for the treatment of chronic pain with CTTP following Shenque acupoint application.

Metabolite profiling analysis of hepatitis B virus-induced liver cirrhosis patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

This study used gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole TOFMS (UPLC-QTOFMS) metabonomic analytical techniques in combination with bioinformatics and pattern recognition analysis methods to analyze the serum metabolite profiling of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver cirrhosis patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), to find the specific biomarkers of MHE, to reveal the pathogenesis of MHE, and to determine a promising approach for early diagnosis of MHE. Serum samples of 100 normal controls (NC group), 29 HBV-induced liver cirrhosis patients with MHE (MHE group), and 24 HBV-induced liver cirrhosis patients without MHE [comprising 12 cases of compensated cirrhosis (CS group) and 12 cases of decompensated cirrhosis (DS group)] were collected and employed into GC-TOFMS and UPLC-QTOFMS platforms for serum metabolite detection; the outcome data were then analyzed using principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). There were no significant differential metabolites between the NC group and the CS group. A series of key differential metabolites were detected. According to the variable influence in projection values and P-values, 60 small-molecule metabolites were considered to be dysregulated in the MHE group (compared to the NC group); 27 of these 60 dysregulated differential metabolites were considered to be the potential biomarkers (see Table 4, marked in bold); 66 small-molecule metabolites were considered to be dysregulated in the DS group (compared to the NC group); 34 of these 66 dysregulated differential metabolites were considered to be the potential biomarkers (see Table 5, marked in bold). According to the fold-change values, 9 of these 27 metabolites, namely valine, oxalic acid, erythro-sphingosine, 4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid, isoleucine, allo-isoleucine, thyroxine, rac-octanoyl carnitine, and tocopherol (vitamin E), were downregulated in the MHE group (compared to the NC group); the other 18, namely adenine, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, fucose, allothreonine, glycohyocholic acid, glycoursodeoxycholic acid, tyrosine, taurocheno-deoxycholate, phenylalanine, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-butanoic acid, hydroxyacetic acid, taurocholate, sorbitol, rhamnose, tauroursodeoxycholate, tolbutamide, pyroglutamic acid, and malic acid, were upregulated; 6 of these 34 metabolites were downregulated in the DS group (compared to the NC group), and the other 28 were upregulated, as shown in Table 5. (a) GC-TOFMS and UPLC-QTOFMS metabonomic analytical platforms can detect a range of metabolites in the serum; this might be of great help to study the pathogenesis of MHE and may provide a new approach for the early diagnosis of MHE. (b) Metabonomics analysis in combination with pattern recognition analysis might have great potential to distinguish the HBV-induced liver cirrhosis patients who have MHE from the normal healthy population and HBV-induced liver cirrhosis patients without MHE.

Flavonoid Synthesis-Related Genes Determine the Color of Flower Petals in Brassica napus L.

The color of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) petal is usually yellow but can be milky-white to orange or pink. Thus, the petal color is a popular target in rapeseed breeding programs. In his study, metabolites and RNA were extracted from the yellow (Y), yellow/purple (YP), light purple (LP), and purple (P) rapeseed petals. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), RNA-Seq, and quantitative real-time (qRT-PCR) analyses were performed to analyze the expression correlation of differential metabolites and differential genes. A total of 223 metabolites were identified in the petals of the three purple and yellow rapeseed varieties by UPLC-MS/MS. A total of 20511 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between P, LP, YP, versus Y plant petals were detected. This study focused on the co-regulation of 4898 differential genes in the three comparison groups. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional annotation and quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of BnaA10g23330D (BnF3'H) affects the synthesis of downstream peonidin and delphinidin and is a key gene regulating the purple color of petals in B. napus. L. The gene may play a key role in regulating rapeseed flower color; however, further studies are needed to verify this. These results deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying petal color and provide the theoretical and practical basis for flower breeding targeting petal color.

Determination of 35 sulfonamides in pork by magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer-based dispersive solid-phase extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array method.

BACKGROUND: Sulfonamide residues in foods of animal origin are potential risks to consumer health, so it is very important to inspect them. Among the previously reported instrumental methods, the best method can only be used to determine at most 22 sulfonamides. Thus, an instrumental method capable of determining more sulfonamide species is desirable. RESULTS: In this study, sulfadoxine was used as a template to synthesize a type of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer that could recognize 35 sulfonamides. After characterization, this composite was used to develop a dispersive solid-phase extraction method for extraction and purification of the 35 sulfonamides in pork, followed by determination using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array method. This composite exhibited high adsorption capacity (11.01-19.21 µg mg-1 ) and high recovery (>89.01%), and could be reused at least ten times. Due to the enrichment effect during sample preparation (enrichment factor 22-66), the limits of detection for determination of the 35 drugs in pork were in the range of 0.08-0.53 ng g-1 . The detection results for some real pork samples were consistent with a liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method. After comparison, the present method showed generally better performances than the previously reported sample preparation methods and instrumental methods for detection of sulfonamides. CONCLUSION: The method developed in the present study could be used as a practical tool for routine detection of sulfonamide residues in pork samples. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.