Identify production area, growth mode, species, and grade of Astragali Radix using metabolomics "big data" and machine learning.

BACKGROUND: Astragali Radix (AR) is a widely used herbal medicine. The quality of AR is influenced by several key factors, including the production area, growth mode, species, and grade. However, the markers currently used to distinguish these factors primarily focus on secondary metabolites, and their validation on large-scale samples is lacking. PURPOSE: This study aims to discover reliable markers and develop classification models for identifying the production area, growth mode, species, and grade of AR. METHODS: A total of 366 batches of AR crude slices were collected from six provinces in China and divided into learning (n = 191) and validation (n = 175) sets. Three ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) methods were developed and validated for determining 22 primary and 10 secondary metabolites in AR methanol extract. Based on the quantification data, seven machine learning algorithms, such as Nearest Neighbors and Gradient Boosted Trees, were applied to screen the potential markers and build the classification models for identifying the four factors associated with AR quality. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed that secondary metabolites (e.g., astragaloside IV, calycosin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside, and ononin) played a crucial role in evaluating AR quality, particularly in identifying the production area and species. Additionally, fatty acids (e.g., behenic acid and lignoceric acid) were vital in determining the growth mode of AR, while amino acids (e.g., alanine and phenylalanine) were helpful in distinguishing different grades. With both primary and secondary metabolites, the Nearest Neighbors algorithm-based model was constructed for identifying each factor of AR, achieving good classification accuracy (>70%) on the validation set. Furthermore, a panel of four metabolites including ononin, astragaloside II, pentadecanoic acid, and alanine, allowed for simultaneous identification of all four factors of AR, offering an accuracy of 86.9%. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potential of integrating large-scale targeted metabolomics and machine learning approaches to accurately identify the quality-associated factors of AR. This study opens up possibilities for enhancing the evaluation of other herbal medicines through similar methodologies, and further exploration in this area is warranted.

Therapeutic effect of vitamin D in Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a prospective, randomized and controlled clinical trial in China.

BACKGROUND: The study aims to explore the clinical effects of Vitamin D (VitD) supplements for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT), which are unclear according to other studies. METHODS: Female patients with newly diagnosed HT from January to June in 2018 were included. This study is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry with registration number ChiCTR1800014619 (URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/). Patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group. The treated group were further randomly assigned to a VitD supplement group or VitD & Levothyroxine (L-T4) supplement group. After 6 months, we recorded and compared various indicators between different groups. RESULTS: A total of 179 patients, aged 12 to 75, were used for statistical analysis. A significant decrease in Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody (TPOAb) level was observed (351.70±183.25 vs. 246.37±157.39, P<0.001) in the VitD-treated group compared to the control group after 6 months. Free Triiodothyronine (FT3) and Free Thyroxine (FT4) level were increased (FT3: 4.30±0.64 vs. 4.84±0.9, P<0.001; FT4: 15.15±1.93 vs. 17.38±2.97, P<0.001), and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (THS) level was decreased (3.58±1.78 vs. 2.25±1.22, P<0.001) in the VitD-treated group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: VitD supplementation can effectively slow progression of hypothyroidism, improve thyroid function, and reduce the anti-thyroid antibody level. This suggests it is useful for HT.

Selenium intake and multiple health-related outcomes: an umbrella review of meta-analyses.

Selenium is an essential trace metalloid element that is associated with fundamental importance to human health. Our umbrella review aimed to evaluate the quality of evidence, validity, and biases in the relationship between selenium intake and health-related outcomes according to published systematic reviews with pooled data and meta-analyses. Selenium intake is associated with a decreased risk of digestive system cancers, all-cause mortality, depression, and Keshan disease, when in children reduce the risk of Kashin-Beck disease. Additionally, selenium supplementation can improve sperm quality, polycystic ovary syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease, and infective outcomes. Selenium supplementation also has relationship with a decreased concentration of serum lipids including total cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, no evidence has shown that selenium is associated with better outcomes among patients in intensive care units. Furthermore, selenium intake may be related with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and non-melanoma skin cancers. Moreover, most of included studies are evaluated as low quality according to our evidence assessment. Based on our study findings and the limited advantages of selenium intake, it is not recommended to receive extra supplementary selenium for general populations, and selenium supplementation should not be continued in patients whose selenium-deficient status has been corrected.

Scientific Evidence of Acupuncture for Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Background: Acupuncture may be effective to treat post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). We aimed to evaluate the reliability of the systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) evidence regarding acupuncture treatment of PSCI. Methods: The methodological quality was appraised with Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2). We evaluated reporting quality with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and evidence quality with Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: The inclusion criteria were met by fifteen reviews. All studies assessed by AMSTAR-2 had critically poor methodological quality due to the limitations on the lack of the provision of the list of excluded trails, screening of duplicate study, and protocol registration. For reporting quality, response rate of "yes" was less than 50% in Q5 (protocol and registration topic), Q8 (Search) and Q23 (Additional analysis). Evidence quality of outcome measures was low or worse with GRADE because when the data was qualitatively synthesized, low quality and small sample size trials provided the data. Conclusion: Acupuncture may be beneficial for PSCI. Because of limitations and inconsistent conclusions, further research is needed to provide higher evidence for acupuncture on PSCI.

Iron intake and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review.

Iron is an essential trace element, while excess iron can lead to different levels of physical abnormalities or diseases. This umbrella review aimed to conduct a systematic evaluation of the possible relationships between iron intake and various health outcomes. We retrieved PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception through May 2021. A total of 34 meta-analyses with 46 unique health outcomes were identified. Heme iron intake was positively associated with nine outcomes, including colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease mortality, while dietary total iron intake could decrease the risk of colorectal adenoma, esophageal cancer, coronary heart disease, and depression. Iron supplementation was a protective factor against eight outcomes. However, it was associated with decreased length and weight gain. The quality of evidence for most outcomes was "low" or "very low" with the remaining eleven as "high" or "moderate". All outcomes were categorized as class III, IV, or NS based on evidence classification. Although high iron intake has been identified to be significantly associated with a range of outcomes, firm universal conclusions about its beneficial or negative effects cannot be drawn given the low quality of evidence for most outcomes.

The Metabolic Potential of Endophytic Actinobacteria Associated with Medicinal Plant Thymus roseus as a Plant-Growth Stimulator.

Bio-fertilizer practice considers not only economical but also environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture. Endophytes can play important beneficiary roles in plant development, directly, indirectly, or synergistically. In this study, the majority of our endophytic actinobacteria were able to possess direct plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, including auxin (88%), ammonia (96%), siderophore production (94%), and phosphate solubilization (24%), along with cell-wall degrading enzymes such as protease (75%), cellulase (81%), lipase (81%), and chitinase (18%). About 45% of tested strains have an inhibitory effect on the phytopathogen Fusarium oxysporum, followed by 26% for Verticillium dahlia. Overall, our results showed that strains XIEG63 and XIEG55 were the potent strains with various PGP traits that caused a higher significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in length and biomass in the aerial part and roots of tomato and cotton, compared to the uninoculated plants. Our data showed that the greatest inhibition percentages of two phytopathogens were achieved due to treatment with strains XIEG05, XIEG07, XIEG45, and XIEG51. The GC-MS analysis showed that most of the compounds were mainly alkanes, fatty acid esters, phenols, alkenes, and aromatic chemicals and have been reported to have antifungal activity. Our investigation emphasizes that endophytic actinobacteria associated with medicinal plants might help reduce the use of chemical fertilization and potentially lead to increased agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Plasma Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Doxorubicin in Rats following Treatment with Astragali Radix.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an essential component in chemotherapy, and Astragali Radix (AR) is a widely used tonic herbal medicine. The combination of DOX and AR offers widespread, well-documented advantages in treating cancer, e.g., reducing the risk of adverse effects. This study mainly aims to uncover the impact of AR on DOX disposition in vivo. Rats received a single intravenous dose of 5 mg/kg DOX following a single-dose co-treatment or multiple-dose pre-treatment of AR (10 g/kg × 1 or × 10). The concentrations of DOX in rat plasma and six tissues, including heart, liver, lung, kidney, spleen, and skeletal muscle, were determined by a fully validated LC-MS/MS method. A network-based approach was further employed to quantify the relationships between enzymes that metabolize and transport DOX and the targets of nine representative AR components in the human protein−protein interactome. We found that short-term (≤10 d) AR administration was ineffective in changing the plasma pharmacokinetics of DOX in terms of the area under the concentration−time curve (AUC, 1303.35 ± 271.74 µg/L*h versus 1208.74 ± 145.35 µg/L*h, p > 0.46), peak concentrations (Cmax, 1351.21 ± 364.86 µg/L versus 1411.01 ± 368.38 µg/L, p > 0.78), and half-life (t1/2, 31.79 ± 5.12 h versus 32.05 ± 6.95 h, p > 0.94), etc. Compared to the isotype control group, DOX concentrations in six tissues slightly decreased under AR pre-administration but only showed statistical significance (p < 0.05) in the liver. Using network analysis, we showed that five of the nine representative AR components were not localized to the vicinity of the DOX disposition-associated module. These findings suggest that AR may mitigate DOX-induced toxicity by affecting drug targets rather than drug disposition.

Synergistic Plant-Microbe Interactions between Endophytic Actinobacteria and Their Role in Plant Growth Promotion and Biological Control of Cotton under Salt Stress.

Bacterial endophytes are well-acknowledged inoculants to promote plant growth and enhance their resistance toward various pathogens and environmental stresses. In the present study, 71 endophytic strains associated with the medicinal plant Thymus roseus were screened for their plant growth promotion (PGP), and the applicability of potent strains as bioinoculant has been evaluated. Regarding PGP traits, the percentage of strains were positive for the siderophore production (84%), auxin synthesis (69%), diazotrophs (76%), phosphate solubilization (79%), and production of lytic enzymes (i.e., cellulase (64%), lipase (62%), protease (61%), chitinase (34%), and displayed antagonistic activity against Verticillium dahliae (74%) in vitro. The inoculation of strain XIEG05 and XIEG12 enhanced plant tolerance to salt stress significantly (p < 0.05) through the promotion of shoot, root development, and reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT), compared with uninoculated controls in vivo. Furthermore, inoculation of strain XIEG57 was capable of reducing cotton disease incidence (DI) symptoms caused by V. dahliae at all tested salt concentrations. The GC-MS analysis showed that many compounds are known to have antimicrobial and antifungal activity. Our findings provide valuable information for applying strains XIEG05 and XIEG12 as bioinoculant fertilizers and biological control agent of cotton under saline soil conditions.

The association between histological prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a single-center retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between histological prostatitis (HP) and clinical parameters related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in male. METHOD: The clinical data of 196 BPH patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate were collected. According to the results of hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of prostate tissue, patients were divided into two groups: BPH with HP group and BPH without HP group. Differences in acute urinary retention (AUR), prostate volume (PV), serum sex hormones, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) related parameters, and systemic inflammation indicators were compared between the two groups. SPSS software v.25 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the BPH without HP group, the BPH with HP group had greater AUR rate, PV, total IPSS, and IPSS-storage in BPH with HP group (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in IPSS-voiding, post-void residual volume, maximum urinary flow rate, serum sex hormones, and systemic inflammation indicators between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that patients with HP have larger PV, more severe LUTS, and a higher risk of AUR. HP is closely related to BPH and may be a key factor in the occurrence and clinical progress of BPH.

Zinc Intakes and Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review.

It is widely accepted that the zinc element is crucial in human beings. Zinc has gained more attention during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its utilization for the treatment and prevention of respiratory tract infections. However, some studies also pointed out that zinc intake might cause unwanted side effects and even be dangerous when overdosed. To reveal the relationship between zinc intake and health outcomes, we performed an umbrella review from human studies. In total, the umbrella review included 43 articles and identified 11 outcomes for dietary zinc intake and 86 outcomes for supplementary zinc intake. Dietary zinc intake in the highest dose would decrease the risk of overall and specific digestive tract cancers, depression, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults. Supplementary zinc consumption in adults was linked to an improvement of depression, antioxidant capacity and sperm quality, higher serum zinc concentration, and lower concentration of inflammatory markers. Zinc supplementation in children would reduce the incidence of diarrhea and pneumonia, improve zinc deficiency and boost growth. However, zinc might not decrease all-cause mortality in adults or the in-hospital mortality of COVID-19. And better maternal and neonatal outcomes may not derive from pregnant women who consumed higher or lower doses of zinc supplementation (>20 mg/day and <20 mg/day, respectively). Dose-response analyses revealed that a daily 5 mg increment of zinc would lower the risk of colorectal and esophageal cancer, whereas a large dose of zinc supplementation (daily 100 mg) showed no benefit in reducing prostate cancer risk.

Network-driven targeted analysis reveals that Astragali Radix alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by maintaining fatty acid homeostasis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Astragali Radix (AR) is a popular traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for more than 2000 years. It is a well-known tonic for weak people with chronic diseases, such as heart failure and cerebral ischemia. Previous studies have reported that AR could support the "weak heart" of cancer patients who suffered from doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to uncover the critical pathways and molecular determinants for AR against DIC by fully characterizing the network-based relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We integrated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) profiling, database and literature searching, and the human protein-protein interactome to discover the specific network module associated with AR against DIC. To validate the network-based findings, a low-dose, long-term DIC mouse model and rat cardiomyoblast H9c2 cells were employed. The levels of potential key metabolites and proteins in hearts and cells were quantified by the LC-MS/MS targeted analysis and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: We constructed one of the most comprehensive AR component-target network described to date, which included 730 interactions connecting 64 unique components and 359 unique targets. Relying on the network-based evaluation, we identified fatty acid metabolism as a putative critical pathway and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα and PPARγ) as potential molecular determinants. We then confirmed that DOX caused the accumulation of fatty acids in the mouse failing heart, while AR promoted fatty acid metabolism and preserved heart function. By inhibiting PPARγ in H9c2 cells, we further found that AR could alleviate DIC by activating PPARγ to maintain fatty acid homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that AR is a promising drug candidate that treats DIC by maintaining fatty acid homeostasis. More importantly, the network-based method developed here could facilitate the mechanism discovery of AR therapy and help catalyze innovation in its clinical application.

Holmium laser enucleation versus bipolar transurethral enucleation for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, which one is better?

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the overall efficacy and safety between holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and bipolar transurethral enucleation of the prostate (B-TUEP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHOD: We systematically searched electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) to identify eligible comparative studies as of July 2021. The parameters including perioperative results, complications, and functional outcomes were evaluated. RevMan version 5.4 was used for the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies involving 1725 patients were included. HoLEP had lower operative time (p = .03), shorter catheterization time (p = .007), lower bladder irrigation time (p = .01), and higher enucleation weight (p = .01) compared with B-TUEP. However, there were no significant differences between the techniques regarding the length of stay (LOS), hemoglobin drop, transfusion rates, and complications. Furthermore, no significant differences were also observed in postoperative functional outcomes at 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP has more advantages in perioperative parameters compared with B-TUEP, but no significant differences are found regarding functional outcomes and complications. Large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are required to compare the outcomes of these two techniques.

PLA2G6 mutations cause motor dysfunction phenotypes of young-onset dystonia-parkinsonism type 14 and can be relieved by DHA treatment in animal models.

Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common neurodegenerative motor disorder, is currently incurable. Although many studies have provided insights on the substantial influence of genetic factors on the occurrence and development of PD, the molecular mechanism underlying the disease is largely unclear. Previous studies have shown that point mutations in the phospholipase A2 group VI gene (PLA2G6) correlate with young-onset dystonia-parkinsonism type 14 (PARK14). However, limited information is available regarding the pathogenic role of this gene and the mechanism underlying its function. To study the role of PLA2G6 mutations, we first used zebrafish larvae to screen six PLA2G6 mutations and revealed that injection of D331Y, T572I, and R741Q mutation constructs induced phenotypes such as motility defects and reduction in dopaminergic neurons. The motility defects could be alleviated by treatment with L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa), indicating that these mutations are pathological for PARK14 symptoms. Furthermore, the injection of D331Y and T572I mutation constructs reduced phospholipase activity of PLA2G6 and its lipid metabolites, which confirmed that these two mutations are loss-of-function mutations. Metabolomic analysis revealed that D331Y or T572I mutation led to higher phospholipid and lower docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels, indicating that reduced DHA levels are pathological for defective motor functions. Further, a dietary DHA supplement relieved the motility defects in PLA2G6D331Y/D331Y knock-in mice. This result revealed that the D331Y mutation caused defective PLA2G6 phospholipase activity and consequently reduced the DHA level, which is the pathogenic factor responsible for PARK14. The results of this study will facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for PARK14.

Emerging Biological Functions of IL-17A: A New Target in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes high rates of disability and mortality worldwide because of severe progressive and irreversible symptoms. During the period of COPD initiation and progression, the immune system triggers the activation of various immune cells, including Regulatory T cells (Tregs), dendritic cells (DCs) and Th17 cells, and also the release of many different cytokines and chemokines, such as IL-17A and TGF-ß. In recent years, studies have focused on the role of IL-17A in chronic inflammation process, which was found to play a highly critical role in facilitating COPD. Specially, IL-17A and its downstream regulators are potential therapeutic targets for COPD. We mainly focused on the possibility of IL-17A signaling pathways that involved in the progression of COPD; for instance, how IL-17A promotes airway remodeling in COPD? How IL-17A facilitates neutrophil inflammation in COPD? How IL-17A induces the expression of TSLP to promote the progression of COPD? Whether the mature DCs and Tregs participate in this process and how they cooperate with IL-17A to accelerate the development of COPD? And above associated studies could benefit clinical application of therapeutic targets of the disease. Moreover, four novel efficient therapies targeting IL-17A and other molecules for COPD are also concluded, such as Bufei Yishen formula (BYF), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and curcumin, a natural polyphenol extracted from the root of Curcuma longa.

Attenuation of doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage in rat brain by regulating amino acid homeostasis with Astragali Radix.

The nervous system disorders caused by doxorubicin (DOX) are among the severe adverse effects that dramatically reduce the quality of life of cancer survivors. Astragali Radix (AR), a popular herbal drug and dietary supplement, is believed to help treat brain diseases by reducing oxidative stress and maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Here we show the protective effects of AR against DOX-induced oxidative damage in rat brain via regulating amino acid homeostasis. By constructing a clinically relevant low-dose DOX-induced toxicity rat model, we first performed an untargeted metabolomics analysis to discover specific metabolic features in the brain after DOX treatment and AR co-treatment. It was found that the amino acid (AA) metabolism pathways altered most significantly. To accurately characterize the brain AA profile, we established a sensitive, fast, and reproducible hydrophilic interaction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of 22 AAs. The targeted analysis further confirmed the changes of AAs between different groups of rat brain. Specifically, the levels of six AAs, including glutamate, glycine, serine, alanine, citrulline, and ornithine, correlated (Pearson |r| > 0.47, p < 0.05) with the brain oxidative damage that was caused by DOX and rescued by AR. These findings present that AAs are among the regulatory targets of DOX-induced brain toxicity, and AR is a promising therapeutic agent for it.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Brain Network Abnormalities in Depressive Patients with Suicidal Ideation.

Our study aimed to investigate whether changes in brain function measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be detected among individuals with depressive disorders and suicidal ideation. The association between depression severity and brain images is also discussed. Our study recruited 111 participants in three groups: 35 depressive patients with suicidal ideation (SI), 32 depressive patients without suicidal ideation (NS), and 44 healthy controls (HCs). All participants were scanned using 3T MRI to obtain resting-state functional images, and functional connectivity (FC), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and graph theoretical analysis (GTA) were performed. We found functional activity differences, such as the hippocampus and thalamus, in the SI group compared with the NS group. We also concluded lower activity in the thalamus and cuneus regions were related to suicidal ideation. We also found several functional connectivity of the brain areas, such as hippocampus, cuneus, and frontal regions, in the SI group correlated with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A graph theoretical analysis (GTA) and network-based statistical (NBS) analysis revealed different topological organization and slightly better local segregation of the brain network in healthy participants compared with those in depressive patients with suicidal ideation. We suggest that brain functional connectivity may be affected in depressive patients with suicidal ideation.

Scd1 controls de novo beige fat biogenesis through succinate-dependent regulation of mitochondrial complex II.

Preadipocytes can give rise to either white adipocytes or beige adipocytes. Owing to their distinct abilities in nutrient storage and energy expenditure, strategies that specifically promote "beiging" of adipocytes hold great promise for counterbalancing obesity and metabolic diseases. Yet, factors dictating the differentiation fate of adipocyte progenitors remain to be elucidated. We found that stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (Scd1)-deficient mice, which resist metabolic stress, possess augmentation in beige adipocytes under basal conditions. Deletion of Scd1 in mature adipocytes expressing Fabp4 or Ucp1 did not affect thermogenesis in mice. Rather, Scd1 deficiency shifted the differentiation fate of preadipocytes from white adipogenesis to beige adipogenesis. Such effects are dependent on succinate accumulation in adipocyte progenitors, which fuels mitochondrial complex II activity. Suppression of mitochondrial complex II by Atpenin A5 or oxaloacetic acid reverted the differentiation potential of Scd1-deficient preadipocytes to white adipocytes. Furthermore, supplementation of succinate was found to increase beige adipocyte differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. Our data reveal an unappreciated role of Scd1 in determining the cell fate of adipocyte progenitors through succinate-dependent regulation of mitochondrial complex II.

Identification of key aroma-active compounds in sesame oil from microwaved seeds using E-nose and HS-SPME-GC×GC-TOF/MS.

The study investigated the volatile compounds of sesame oil and the effects of microwave processing (0-8 min with 1-min intervals), mainly focusing on the integral flavor characteristics and individual aroma-active compounds. A total of 82 characteristic odors were identified using GC×GC-TOF/MS. Fifteen volatile compounds with the highest odor activity values (OAV > 100) were selected as the key odors contributing to the flavor profile of microwaved sesame oil, including 2-methyl-propanal (pungent, malt, green), 2-methyl-butanal (cocoa, almond), furaneol (caramel), 1-octen-3-one (mushroom), 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one (sweet), 1-nonanol (fat, citrus, green), 2-methyl-phenol (phenol), 2-methoxy-phenol (smoke, sweet), 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (clove, curry), 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine (cocoa, roasted nut, roast beef), 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roast), 2-thiophenemethanethiol (sulfur), methanethiol (gasoline, garlic), methional (cooked potato), and dimethyl trisulfide (fish, cabbage). The OAVs significantly increased with a longer microwave process. Meanwhile, PCA results based on E-nose and cluster analysis results based on GC×GC-TOF/MS were similar to distinguish flavor formation during the microwave process. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Sesame oils were prepared by a microwave process. Aroma-active compounds with the highest OAVs in sesame oils were not clear. Identification of key aroma compounds of sesame oils could adopt a comprehensive assessment method in combination with E-nose and individual odors detection. Microwave pretreatment as a new processing technology for sesame oil extraction could reduce the time consumption and produce a unique fragrant flavor compared to the traditional roasting process.

Acupuncture for patients with mild hypertension: A randomized controlled trial.

Acupuncture may be beneficial for patients with mild hypertension, but the evidence is not convincing. We aimed to examine the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure (BP) reduction in patients with mild hypertension. We conducted a multicenter, single-blind, sham-controlled, randomized trial in eleven hospitals in China. The trial included 428 patients with systolic blood pressure (SBP) from 140 to 159 mm Hg and/or with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) from 90 to 99 mm Hg. The patients were randomly assigned to receive 18 sessions of affected meridian acupuncture (n = 107) or non-affected meridian acupuncture (n = 107) or sham acupuncture (n = 107) during 6 weeks, or to stay in a waiting-list control (n = 107). All patients received 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at weeks 6, 9, and 12. We included 415 participants in the intention-to-treat analysis. The two acupuncture groups were pooled in the analysis, since they had no difference in all outcomes. SBP decreased at week 6 in acupuncture group vs sham acupuncture vs waiting-list group (7.2 ± 11.0 mm Hg vs 4.1 ± 11.5 mm Hg vs 4.1 ± 13.2 mm Hg); acupuncture was not superior to sham acupuncture (mean difference 2.7 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.4 to 5.9, adjusted P = 0.103) or waiting-list control (2.9 mm Hg, 95% CI -0.2 to 6.0, adjusted P = 0.078). However, acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture (3.3 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.2 to 6.3, adjusted P = 0.035) and waiting-list control (4.8 mm Hg, 95% CI 1.8 to 7.8, P < 0.001) at week 9. Acupuncture had a small effect size on the reduction of BP in patients with mild hypertension.

Relationship between rosacea and dietary factors: A multicenter retrospective case-control survey.

Although patients with rosacea often consult dermatologists for dietary factors that might be related to their skin disorders, few studies have been conducted to research the relationship between rosacea and dietary factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential relationship between rosacea and diet among the large Chinese population with rosacea, which would provide dietary guidelines for patients with rosacea. A multicenter case-control study was conducted. The feeding frequency 2 years before the occurrence of rosacea was collected by standardized questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate risks related to the diet. One thousand three hundred and forty-seven patients with rosacea and 1290 controls were enrolled in our study. We found that high-frequency intake of fatty food and tea presented a positive correlation with rosacea, while high-frequency dairy product intake showed significant negative correlation with rosacea. Sweet food, coffee and spicy food appeared to be independent of any subset of rosacea in our study. However, high-frequency dairy product intake showed a borderline beneficial effect on rosacea severity. We further analyzed the correlation between diet and the subtype of rosacea. We found that high-frequency fatty intake was associated with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) and phymatous rosacea, while high-frequency tea intake was only associated with ETR. In addition, high-frequency dairy product intake showed negative correlations with ETR and papulopustular rosacea. Rosacea is associated with some dietary factors, and our study is valuable in establishing dietary guidelines to prevent and improve rosacea.