Structure characteristics, protective effect and mechanisms of ethanol-fractional polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale on acute ethanol-induced gastritis.

Gastritis is a common disease characterized by gastric ulcers and severe bleeding. Excessive daily alcohol consumption can cause acute gastritis, impacting individuals' quality of life. This study aims to explore the protective effects of different ethanol-fractional polysaccharides of Dendrobium officinale (EPDO) on acute alcohol-induced gastric injury in vivo. Results showed that EPDO-80, identified as a ß-glucan, exhibited significant anti-inflammatory properties in pathology. It could reduce the area of gastric mucosal injury and cell infiltration. EPDO-80 had a dose-effect relationship in reducing the levels of malondialdehyde and cyclooxygenase-2 and decreasing the levels of inflammation mediators such as tumor necrosis factor α. More extensively, EPDO-80 could inhibit the activation of the TNFR/IκB/NF-κB signaling pathway, reducing the production of TNF-α mRNA and cell apoptosis in organs. Conversely, EPDO-80 could promote changes in the gut microbiota structure. These findings suggest that EPDO-80 could have great potential in limiting oxidative stress and inflammation mediated by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, which is highly related to its ß-glucan structure and functions in gut microbiota.

The potential of herbal drugs to treat heart failure: The roles of Sirt1/AMPK.

Heart failure (HF) is a highly morbid syndrome that seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients and generates an enormous socio-economic burden. In addition to cardiac myocyte oxidative stress and apoptosis, which are considered mechanisms for the development of HF, alterations in cardiac energy metabolism and pathological autophagy also contribute to cardiac abnormalities and ultimately HF. Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylases and phosphorylated kinases, respectively. They play similar roles in regulating some pathological processes of the heart through regulating targets such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), protein 38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). We summarized the synergistic effects of Sirt1 and AMPK in the heart, and listed the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that exhibit cardioprotective properties by modulating the Sirt1/AMPK pathway, to provide a basis for the development of Sirt1/AMPK activators or inhibitors for the treatment of HF and other cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Rules of acupoint selection in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with acupuncture-moxibustion based on complex network analysis. / åŸºäºŽå¤æ‚ç½‘ç»œåˆ†æžé’ˆç¸æ²»ç–—ç‚Žæ€§è‚ ç— çš„é€‰ç©´è§„å¾‹.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the rules of acupoint selection and compatibility of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) based on complex network technology and provide the reliable evidences for acupoint selection in treatment of this disease with acupuncture and moxibustion. METHODS: The clinical studies on acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of IBD were searched from the databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed and Embase. The studies were screened and the acupoint prescriptions were extracted to set up the database of acupuncture-moxibustion treatment for IBD. Using Microsoft Excel 2021 software, the use times of acupoint, the use frequency (%) of acupoint, meridian tropism and the use of special point were imported. With SPSS Modeler 18.0 software adopted, the association rules were analyzed on the acupoint prescriptions. The acupoint co-occurrence network diagram, k-core network diagram, and community analysis diagram were drawn by Gephi 0.9.5 software. RESULTS: A total of 156 studies were included, composed of 175 acupoint prescriptions, 75 acupoints, with 1 378 use times in total and around 8 acupoints in one prescription. Regarding the top use frequency, Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36), Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongwan (CV12) and Pishu (BL20) were listed. The top meridians involved were the foot-yangming stomach meridian, the foot-taiyang bladder meridian and the Conception Vessel. The front-mu point had been used with the highest frequency among the special points. ST36 and ST25 were a pair of points with the highest frequency in treatment. The k-core hierarchical analysis was adopted to optimize acupoint prescriptions, and 22 core acupoints were obtained, i.e. ST25, ST36, CV4, CV12, BL20, Dachangshu (BL25), Shangjuxu (ST37), Shenshu (BL23), Qihai (CV6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Mingmen (GV4), Xingjian (LR2), Yinlingquan (SP9), Neiting (ST44), Taichong (LR3), Xiajuxu (ST39), Shuifen (CV9), Shenque (CV8), Ganshu (BL18), Weishu (BL21), Hegu (LI4) and Quchi(LI11), which were classified into three core acupoint groups by community analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Through complex network analysis, it is found that the local acupoints on the chest and abdomen are generally selected in treatment with acupuncture-moxibustion for IBD, the combination of the nearby and distal points is considered simulta-neously, and the acupoint prescription is modified according to syndrome/pattern differentiation；and among special points, the front-mu point is widely used in treatment. All of these rules provide the ideas for the acupoint selection of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of IBD.

Systemic Inflammatory Regulators Associated with Osteoporosis: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study.

To elucidate the precise upstream and downstream regulatory mechanisms of inflammatory factors in osteoporosis (OP) progression and to establish a causal relationship between inflammatory factors and OP. We conducted bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using data for 41 cytokines obtained from three independent cohorts comprising 8293 Finnish individuals. Estimated bone mineral density (eBMD) data were derived from 426,824 UK Biobank White British individuals (55% female) and fracture data from 416,795 UK Biobank participants of European ancestry. The inverse variance-weighted method was the primary MR analysis approach. We employed other methods as complementary approaches for mutual corroboration. To test for pleiotropy and heterogeneity, we used the MR-Egger regression, MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier global test, and the Cochrane Q test. Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α and interleukin (IL)-12p70 expression associated negatively and causally with eBMD (ß = -0.017 [MIP-1α], ß = -0.011 [IL-12p70]). Conversely, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand was associated with a decreased risk of fractures (Odds Ratio: 0.980). Additionally, OP influenced the expression of multiple inflammatory factors, including growth-regulated oncogene-α, interferon-gamma, IL-6, beta nerve growth factor, and IL-2. Finally, we discovered complex bidirectional causal relationships between IL-8, IL-10, and OP. Specific inflammatory factors may contribute to OP development or may be causally affected by OP. We identified a bidirectional causal relationship between certain inflammatory factors and OP. These findings provide new perspectives for early prediction and targeted treatment of OP. Larger cohort studies are necessary in the future to further validate these findings.

Interactive scalp acupuncture combined with suspension digital occupational therapy for upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke: a multi-center randomized controlled trial. / äº’åŠ¨å¼å¤´é’ˆç»“åˆæ‚¬åŠä¸‹æ•°å­—ä½œä¸šç–—æ³•æ²»ç–—è„‘å’ä¸­åŽä¸Šè‚¢è¿åŠ¨åŠŸèƒ½éšœç¢ï¼šå¤šä¸­å¿ƒéšæœºå¯¹ç §è¯•éªŒ.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of interactive scalp acupuncture on upper limb motor function and activities of daily living in patients with upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke were randomly divided into an observation group(60 cases, 2 cases dropped out)and a control group(60 cases, 1 case dropped out). Both groups were treated with routine medication and rehabilitation. The observation group was treated with interactive scalp acupuncture combined with suspension digital occupational therapy, interactive scalp acupuncture was applied at middle 2/5 of the parietal and temporal anterior oblique line, middle 2/5 of the parietal and temporal posterior oblique line and second lateral line of parietal of the hemiparalysis contralateral side, 30 min each time.The control group was treated with suspension digital occupational therapy alone. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks in the two groups. The scores of Fugl-Meyer assessment scale of upper extremity(FMA-UE), action research arm test(ARAT), the modified Barthel index (MBI) and surface electromyography(sEMG)signal of the biceps and triceps on the affected side were observed before and after treatment in the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the FMA-UE, ARAT and MBI scores were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups(P<0.05), the changes of the observation group were greater than those in the control group(P<0.05). After treatment, the integrated electromyography(iEMG)value and root mean square(RMS)value of the biceps and triceps on the affected side during elbow flexion and extension were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups(P<0.05), the changes of the observation group were greater than those in the control group(P<0.05). The total effective rate was 94.8%(55/58) in the observation group, which was higher than 83.1%(49/59) in the control group(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Interactive scalp acupuncture could improve upper limb motor function and activities of daily living in patients with upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke.

Perillaldehyde ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury via suppressing the cGAS/STING signaling pathway.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common life-threatening illness characterized by a lung inflammatory response and oxidative stress, and effective agent therapies are currently lacking. mtDNA can be recognized by cGAS/STING, the dysregulation of which leads to inflammatory diseases, such as ALI. Perillaldehyde(PAH), one of the major active components of traditional Chinese medicine made from Perilla frutescens, has antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to explore whether PAH can protect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and whether its protective effect is exerted through the regulation of cGAS/STING signaling. We found that PAH significantly inhibited lung histological changes, inflammatory cell infiltration, and the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines induced by LPS. Moreover, PAH inhibited LPS-induced oxidative stress, as shown by the deceases in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione(GSH) levels and increased in malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. In addition, PAH markedly downregulated the expression of cGAS, STING, p-TBK, p-IRF3, p-P65, and p-IκB, and pharmacological inhibition of cGAS/STING inhibited ALI- induced by LPS. Furthermore, the levels of mitochondrial ROS (mROS) and mtDNA were increased, and cGAS/STING-mediated IRF3/NF-κB signaling was activated during the inflammatory response- induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, pretreatment with the STING activator partially abolished the inhibitory effect of PAH on the inflammation and activation of STING-mediated IRF3/NF-κB signaling induced by LPS. Overall, the results revealed that PAH can effectively alleviate ALI by inhibiting cGAS/STING-mediated IRF3/NF-κB signaling, and that PAH may be a potential candidate agent for the treatment of ALI.

Efficacy of Qingpeng ointment (a Tibetan medicine) for acute gouty arthritis: a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of Qingpeng ointment (QPO), a Tibetan medicine for alleviating symptoms in individuals with acute gouty arthritis (AGA). METHODS: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that involved individuals with AGA whose joint pain, as measured on a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 10, was equal to or greater than 3. The participants were randomly assigned to either the QPO or the placebo group and received their respective treatments twice daily for seven consecutive days. In case of intolerable pain, the participants were allowed to use diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets as a rescue medicine. The primary outcomes measured were joint pain and swelling, while the secondary outcomes included joint mobility, redness, serum uric acid levels, C-reactive protein levels, and the amount of remaining rescue medicine. Any adverse events that occurred during the trial were also recorded. RESULTS: A total of 203 cases were divided into two groups, with balanced baselines: 102 in the QPO group and 101 in the placebo group. For joint pain, differences between the groups were notable in the VAS scores [1.75 (0, 3.00) versus 2.00 (1.00, 3.50); P = 0.038], changes in VAS [5.00 (3.00, 6.00) versus 4.00 (2.00, 6.00); P = 0.036], and disappearance rate [26.47% compared to 15.84%; P = 0.046] after treatment. Concerning joint swelling, significant between-group differences were observed in the VAS scores [1.00 (0, 2.30) versus 2.00 (0.70, 3.00); P = 0.032] and disappearance rate [33.33% compared to 21.78%; P = 0.046] at treatment completion. The QPO group exhibited a statistically significant mobility improvement compared to the placebo group (P = 0.004). No significant differences were found in other secondary outcomes. Five patients, four from the QPO group and one from the other, encountered mild adverse events, primarily skin irritation. All of these cases were resolved after dosage reduction or discontinuation of the medication. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the placebo, QPO exhibits positive effects on AGA by alleviating pain, reducing swelling, and enhancing joint mobility, without causing significant adverse effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN34355813. Registered on 25/01/2021.

Evaluation of Available Energy and Standardized Ileal Digestibility of Amino Acids in Fermented Flaxseed Meal for Growing Pigs.

Flaxseed meal (FSM) is a byproduct of flaxseed oil extraction which has rich nutritional value and can be used as a high-quality new protein ingredient. However, the anti-nutrient factor (ANF) in FSM restricts its potential application in feed. The strategy of microbial fermentation is a highly effective approach to reducing ANF in FSM and enhancing its feeding value. However, evaluation of the nutritional value of fermented flaxseed meal (FFSM) in growing pigs has not yet been conducted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional value of FFSM in growing pigs and comparison of the effect of fermentation treatment on improving the nutritional value of FSM. Two experiments were conducted to determine the available energy value, apparent digestibility of nutrients, and standard ileal digestibility of amino acids of FSM and FFSM in growing pigs. The results showed as follows: (1) Fermentation treatment increased the levels of crude protein (CP), Ca and P in FSM by 2.86%, 9.54% and 4.56%, while decreasing the concentration of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) by 34.09% and 12.71%, respectively (p < 0.05); The degradation rate of CGs in FSM was 54.09% (p < 0.05); (2) The digestible energy (DE) and metabolic energy (ME) of FSM and FFSM were 14.54 MJ/kg, 16.68 MJ/kg and 12.85 MJ/kg, 15.24 MJ/kg, respectively; (3) Compared with FSM, dietary FFSM supplementation significantly increased the apparent digestibility of CP, NDF, ADF, Ca, and P of growing pigs (p < 0.05) and significantly increased the standard ileal digestibility of methionine (p < 0.05). These results indicate that fermentation treatment could effectively enhance the nutritional value of FSM and provide basic theoretical data for the application of FFSM in pig production.

Erythrocyte membrane n-3 PUFA are inversely associated with breast cancer risk among Chinese women.

The relationship between erythrocyte membrane n-3 PUFA and breast cancer risk is controversial. We aimed to examine the associations of erythrocyte membrane n-3 PUFA with odds of breast cancer among Chinese women by using a relatively large sample size. A case-control study was conducted including 853 newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed breast cancer cases and 892 frequency-matched controls (5-year interval). Erythrocyte membrane n-3 PUFA were measured by GC. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline were used to quantify the association between erythrocyte membrane n-3 PUFA and odds of breast cancer. Erythrocyte membrane α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and total n-3 PUFA were inversely and non-linearly associated with odds of breast cancer. The OR values (95 % CI), comparing the highest with the lowest quartile (Q), were 0·57 (0·43, 0·76), 0·43 (0·32, 0·58) and 0·36 (0·27, 0·49) for ALA, DPA and total n-3 PUFA, respectively. Erythrocyte membrane EPA and DHA were linearly and inversely associated with odds of breast cancer ((EPA: ORQ4 v. Q1 (95 % CI) = 0·59 (0·45, 0·79); DHA: ORQ4 v. Q1 (95 % CI) = 0·50 (0·37, 0·67)). The inverse associations were observed between ALA and odds of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and between DHA and oestrogen receptor+ breast cancer. This study showed that erythrocyte membrane total and individual n-3 PUFA were inversely associated with odds of breast cancer. Other factors, such as menopause and hormone receptor status, may warrant further investigation when examining the association between n-3 PUFA and odds of breast cancer.

Exploring the mechanism of probiotics in enhancing the utilization of chemical components (or polyphenols) of grape seed extract.

Fecal samples from 20 healthy adults were collected for in vitro fermentation experiments to investigate the effects of combined probiotics on the utilization of grape seed extract in humans. After fermenting for 24 h, short-chain fatty acids, metabolites, and gut microbiota composition were analyzed. Short-chain fatty acids in the grape seed extract probiotics group were significantly higher than those in the grape seed extract group. Probiotics significantly enhanced the conversion and utilization of catechins and epicatechins in grape seed extract group and increased the production of 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. The 16S rRNA sequencing results revealed that compound probiotics significantly increased the relative abundance of Lacticaseibacillus, HT002, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus and reduced that of Escherichia-Shigella. Our findings showed considerable individual variability in the metabolic utilization of grape seed extract in humans. The consumption of probiotics appears to significantly enhance the utilization.

SGAE-MDA: Exploring the MiRNA-disease associations in herbal medicines based on semi-supervised graph autoencoder.

Research indicates that miRNAs present in herbal medicines are crucial for identifying disease markers, advancing gene therapy, facilitating drug delivery, and so on. These miRNAs maintain stability in the extracellular environment, making them viable tools for disease diagnosis. They can withstand the digestive processes in the gastrointestinal tract, positioning them as potential carriers for specific oral drug delivery. By engineering plants to generate effective, non-toxic miRNA interference sequences, it's possible to broaden their applicability, including the treatment of diseases such as hepatitis C. Consequently, delving into the miRNA-disease associations (MDAs) within herbal medicines holds immense promise for diagnosing and addressing miRNA-related diseases. In our research, we propose the SGAE-MDA model, which harnesses the strengths of a graph autoencoder (GAE) combined with a semi-supervised approach to uncover potential MDAs in herbal medicines more effectively. Leveraging the GAE framework, the SGAE-MDA model exactly integrates the inherent feature vectors of miRNAs and disease nodes with the regulatory data in the miRNA-disease network. Additionally, the proposed semi-supervised learning approach randomly hides the partial structure of the miRNA-disease network, subsequently reconstructing them within the GAE framework. This technique effectively minimizes network noise interference. Through comparison against other leading deep learning models, the results consistently highlighted the superior performance of the proposed SGAE-MDA model. Our code and dataset can be available at: https://github.com/22n9n23/SGAE-MDA.

China's public health initiatives for climate change adaptation.

China's health gains over the past decades face potential reversals if climate change adaptation is not prioritized. China's temperature rise surpasses the global average due to urban heat islands and ecological changes, and demands urgent actions to safeguard public health. Effective adaptation need to consider China's urbanization trends, underlying non-communicable diseases, an aging population, and future pandemic threats. Climate change adaptation initiatives and strategies include urban green space, healthy indoor environments, spatial planning for cities, advance location-specific early warning systems for extreme weather events, and a holistic approach for linking carbon neutrality to health co-benefits. Innovation and technology uptake is a crucial opportunity. China's successful climate adaptation can foster international collaboration regionally and beyond.

Efficacy and Safety of Huashi Baidu Granules in the Treatment of Children Suffering from Influenza with Exterior-cold and Interior-heat Syndrome: A Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.

Background: Influenza is one of the major public health problems worldwide. Children are the high-risk group for influenza and the high-risk population with symptoms. Huashi Baidu(HSBD) Granules have played a great role in fighting against COVID-19. In recent decades, this recipe has also been applied by pediatricians to treat influenza, with remarkable curative effects. However, there is still a lack of high-quality evidence-based medical practice. Methods: This study was designed as a multi-center, randomized, parallel-controlled trial, with an estimated sample size of 520 children suffering from influenza with exterior-cold and interior-heat syndrome. All the enrolled children will be randomly assigned to a test group and a control group. Children in the test group were treated with Huashi Baidu Granules, and those in the control group were provided with Oseltamivir Phosphate Granules for intervention. The primary outcome measure was the time to clinical recovery, with the Chinese version of the Canadian Acute Respiratory Illness and Flu Scale (CARIFS) score measured at baseline and every 24 hours after treatment, which was evaluated at the endpoint of follow-up. The secondary outcome was the time to complete fever remission, scores of CARIFS symptom dimensions and the area under the curve with time, the incidence of complications/severe/critical influenza, the rate of single symptom disappearance, and the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes, which were recorded at baseline and after treatment, and evaluated at the end of treatment. Safety and endpoint events were evaluated at the same time. Conclusion: This study is intended to apply Huashi Baidu Granules to treat influenza with exterior-cold and interior-heat syndrome to identify the clinical efficacy and safety of this recipe. Simultaneously, our study will also discuss the characteristics of clinical syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine and syndrome distribution of influenza in the studied children.

A metagenomic analysis for combination therapy of multiple classes of antibiotics on the prevention of the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes.

Antibiotics used systemically to treat infections may have off-target effects on the gut microbiome, potentially resulting in the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria or selection of pathogenic species. These organisms may present a risk to the host and spread to the environment with a risk of transmission in the community. To investigate the risk of emergent antibiotic resistance in the gut microbiome following systemic treatment with antibiotics, this metagenomic analysis project used next-generation sequencing, a custom-built metagenomics pipeline, and differential abundance analysis to study the effect of antibiotics (ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and fosfomycin) in monotherapy and different combinations at high and low doses, to determine the effect on resistome and taxonomic composition in the gut of Balb/c mice. The results showed that low-dose monotherapy treatments showed little change in microbiome composition but did show an increase in expression of many antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) posttreatment. Dual combination treatments allowed the emergence of some conditionally pathogenic bacteria and some increase in the abundance of ARGs despite a general decrease in microbiota diversity. Triple combination treatment was the most successful in inhibiting emergence of relevant opportunistic pathogens and completely suppressed all ARGs after 72 h of treatment. The relative abundances of mobile genetic elements that can enhance transmission of antibiotic resistance either decreased or remained the same for combination therapy while increasing for low-dose monotherapy. Combination therapy prevented the emergence of ARGs and decreased bacterial diversity, while low-dose monotherapy treatment increased ARGs and did not greatly change bacterial diversity.

La-MOFs in situ loaded Al2O3 particles for effective removal of phosphate in water: characterization, application potential analysis, and mechanism.

Excessive phosphorus in water would cause eutrophication and deterioration of the ecological environment. Herein, the La-MOFs/Al2O3 composite was successfully prepared by the in situ hydrothermal synthesis method for granulation, which was conducive to exerting the phosphate adsorption capacity and facilitating practical application. The materials were characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD, BET, FTIR, and Zeta. In addition, the adsorption performance of La-MOFs/Al2O3 was evaluated through adsorption kinetics and isotherms, showing that the Langmuir adsorption capacity was 16.34 mgP·g-1 (25 °C) and increased with the water temperature. Moreover, the batch influence experiments of intimal pH, adsorbent dosage, coexisting ions, and stability tests were performed to analyze the potential for practical applications and verified through the natural micro-polluted water samples from Houxi River and Bailu Lake (China). The results indicated that the La-MOFs/Al2O3 was suited to a wide pH range of 4 to 10 and the phosphate removal efficiency remained above 70% after continuous use for four times, exhibiting excellent stability. It also had excellent selectivity in the presence of SO42-, Cl-, NO3-, and HCO3-, only decreased to 70.24% at high HCO3- ion concentration of 60 mg/L, respectively. And the La-MOFs/Al2O3 had excellent adsorption of total phosphorus, phosphate, and organic phosphorus in the actual river and lake water and completely removed dissolved phosphorus. Finally, a phosphate adsorption mechanism model involved in electrostatic interaction and ligand exchange was proposed. Therefore, La-MOFs/Al2O3 could be considered to be an excellent phosphorus adsorbent for application in the actual water environmental remediation.

Effects of sugar beet pectin on the pasting, rheological, thermal, and microstructural properties of wheat starch.

The effects of addition of sugar beet pectin (SBP) on the pasting, rheological, thermal, and microstructural properties of wheat starch (WS) were investigated. Results revealed that SBP addition significantly increased the peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown value, final viscosity, and setback value of WS, whereas decreased the pasting temperature. SBP raised the swelling power (from 13.44 to 21.32 g/g) and endothermic enthalpy (ΔH, from 8.17 to 8.98 J/g), but decreased the transparency (from 9.70 % to 1.37 %). Regarding rheological properties, WS-SBP mixtures exhibited a pseudo-plastic behavior, and SBP enhanced the viscoelasticity, but decreased the deformability. Particle size distribution analysis confirmed that SBP promoted the swelling of WS granules. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results suggested that the interactions between SBP and WS did not involve covalent bonding, and the formation of ordered structure was inhibited by SBP addition. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy observation found that the gel network of WS-SBP mixtures became more irregular, pore size gradually decreased, and the wall became thinner as the SBP concentration increased. These results indicated that SBP is a promising non-starch polysaccharide that can enhance the processing properties of WS.

[Total triterpenes of Euphorbium alleviates rheumatoid arthritis via Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway].

This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of total triterpenes of Euphorbium in treating rheumatoid arthritis(RA). The rat model of RA was established with Freund's complete adjuvant(FCA). Male rats were randomly assigned into control, model, Tripterygium glycosides(7.5 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-, medium-, and high-dose total triterpenes of Euphorbium(32, 64, and 128 mg·kg~(-1), respectively) groups, with 10 rats in each group. In other groups except the control group, 0.2 mL FCA was injected into the right hind toe. Rats in the intervention groups were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage, and the control group and the model group with the same volume of 0.5% CMC-Na solution once a day. During the treatment period, the swelling degree of the hind paw was measured and the arthritis was scored until day 30. At the end of drug administration, the pathological changes of the joint tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The content of malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione(GSH), and Fe~(2+) and the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) in the joint tissue were measured by biochemical colorimetry. RT-PCR was performed to determine the mRNA levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2), glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4(ACSL4) in the joint tissue. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of Nrf2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1), heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1), SOD2, GPX4, and ACSL4 in the joint tissue. The results showed that the treatment with Tripterygium glycosides(7.5 mg·kg~(-1)) and total triterpenes of Euphorbium(32, 64, and 128 mg·kg~(-1)) alleviated the swelling degree of bilateral hind limbs, decreased the arthritis score, reduced joint tissue lesions and the content of MDA and Fe~(2+) in the joint tissue, and increased GSH content and SOD activity. Furthermore, the interventions up-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of Nrf2 and GPX4, down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of ACSL4, and up-regulated the protein levels of Keap1, NQO1, HO-1, and SOD2 in the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4. In summary, the total triterpenes of Euphorbium can treat RA by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and abnormal ferroptosis, which may involve the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Effects of Tea Polyphenols and Theaflavins on Three Oral Cariogenic Bacteria.

In order to investigate the antibacterial mechanism of tea polyphenols and theaflavins against oral cariogenic bacteria, the pH value of the culture medium, the number of bacteria adhering to the smooth glass tube wall, and the electrical conductivity value within 10 h were measured, respectively. The effects of four concentrations of tea polyphenols and theaflavins below the MIC value were studied on acid production, adhesion, and electrical conductivity of oral cariogenic bacteria. The live/dead staining method was used to observe the effects of four concentrations of tea polyphenols and theaflavins below the MIC value on the biofilm formation of oral cariogenic bacteria under a laser scanning confocal microscope. With the increase in concentrations of tea polyphenols and theaflavins, the acid production and adhesion of the cariogenic bacteria gradually decreased, and the conductivity gradually increased. However, the conductivity increase was not significant (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the 1/2MIC and 1/4MIC tea polyphenols and theaflavins treatments significantly reduced the biomass of the cariogenic biofilm (p < 0.05). The confocal laser scanning microscope showed that the integrated optical density of green fluorescence of the cariogenic biofilm gradually decreased with the increase in agent concentration after the action of tea polyphenols and theaflavins.

Short-chain fatty acids facilitated long-term dechlorination of PCBs in Taihu Lake sediment microcosms: Evidence from PCB congener and microbial community analyses.

Microbial reductive dechlorination hosts great promise as an in situ bioremediation strategy for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination. However, the slow dechlorination in sediments limits natural attenuation. Short-chain fatty acids, as preferred carbon sources and electron donors for dechlorinating microorganisms, might stimulate PCB dechlorination. Herein, two sets of short-chain fatty acids, sole acetate and a fatty acid mixture (acetate, propionate, and butyrate), were amended periodically into Taihu Lake (China) sediment microcosms containing nine PCB congeners (PCB5, 12, 64, 71, 105, 114, 149, 153, and 170) after 24 weeks of incubation. Short-chain fatty acids facilitated the long-term PCB dechlorination and the promoting effect of the fatty acid mixture compared favorably with that of sole acetate. By the end of 108 weeks, the total PCB mass concentrations in acetate amended and fatty acid mixture amended microcosms significantly declined by 7.6% and 10.3% compared with non-amended microcosms (P < 0.05), respectively. Short-chain fatty acids selectively favored the removal of flanked meta and single-flanked para chlorines. Notably, a rare ortho dechlorination pathway, PCB25 (24-3-CB) to PCB13 (3-4-CB), was enhanced. Supplementary fatty acids significantly increased reductive dehalogenases (RDase) gene pcbA5 instead of improving the growth of Dehalococcoides. These findings highlight the merits of low cost short-chain fatty acids on in situ biostimulation in treating PCBs contamination.

Fatty acid metabolism disorders and potential therapeutic traditional Chinese medicines in cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the primary cause of mortality in the whole world. Growing evidence indicated that the disturbances in cardiac fatty acid metabolism are crucial contributors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. The abnormal cardiac fatty acid metabolism usually leads to energy deficit, oxidative stress, excessive apoptosis, and inflammation. Targeting fatty acid metabolism has been regarded as a novel approach to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, there are currently no specific drugs that regulate fatty acid metabolism to treat cardiovascular diseases. Many traditional Chinese medicines have been widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases in clinics. And modern studies have shown that they exert a cardioprotective effect by regulating the expression of key proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1. Hence, we systematically reviewed the relationship between fatty acid metabolism disorders and four types of cardiovascular diseases including heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiac hypertrophy, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. In addition, 18 extracts and eight monomer components from traditional Chinese medicines showed cardioprotective effects by restoring cardiac fatty acid metabolism. This work aims to provide a reference for the finding of novel cardioprotective agents targeting fatty acid metabolism.