Dietary inflammatory index is associated with severe depression in older adults with stroke: a cross-sectional study.

Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of stroke and depression. We aimed to investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and depression in American adults with stroke. Adults with stroke were enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2018 in the USA. The DII was obtained from a 24-h dietary recall interview for each individual. Multivariate regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between DII and depression in adults with stroke. The mean age of the 1239 participants was 63·85 years (50·20 % women), and the prevalence of depression was 18·26 %. DII showed a linear and positive association with severe depression in adults with stroke (OR 1·359; 95 % CI 1·021, 1·810; P for non-linearity = 0·493). Compared with those in the lowest tertile of the DII, adults with stroke in the third tertile of the DII had a 3·222-fold higher risk of severe depression (OR 3·222; 95 % CI 1·150, 9·026). In the stratified analyses, the association between DII score and severe depression was more significant in older adults (P for interaction = 0·010) but NS with respect to sex (P for interaction = 0·184) or smoking status (P for interaction = 0·396). No significant association was found between DII and moderate-to-moderately severe depression in adults with stroke. In conclusion, an increase in DII score was associated with a higher likelihood of severe depression in older adults with stroke.

Evapotranspiration responses to CO2 and its driving mechanisms in four ecosystems based on CMIP6 simulations: Forest, shrub, farm and grass.

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an essential process of the water cycle through which water is transferred from terrestrial ecosystems to atmosphere. However, in the climate context of increasing CO2 concentration (also called as a CO2-enriched climate), the variation of ET and its main drivers among different ecosystems remain unclear. This study analyzed the output data of the CMCC ESM2 model with a ridge regression method, and proposed the trends and drivers of ET in different ecosystems in a CO2-enriched climate. In particular, the temporal - spatial characteristics of ET and its primary drivers for different periods and wetness levels were revealed. With the rising of CO2 concentration, the atmospheric evapotranspiration demand increases, and the vegetation grows more luxuriantly. ET shows an overall upward trend, especially in the shrub ecosystems (7.41 mm decade-1). Our results show that the thermal conditions are the main driving factors for humid forest and shrub ecosystems whereas relative humidity (RH) is the main driving factor for arid farm and grass ecosystems. In terms of the average contribution in all periods, surface solar radiation contributes 26% and 41% to ET variation in forest and shrub ecosystems, and RH contributes 49% and 32% to ET variation in farm and grass ecosystems, respectively. Notably, with the increase of wetness levels, the contribution of water conditions on ET becomes smaller, while that of thermal conditions becomes larger. Correlation analysis shows that LAI impacts on ET are regulated by environmental factors, which reflects the complexity of ET change mechanism. Overall, these findings further provide a reference for rational planning of ecosystems and efficient utilization of water resources.

AgPdNFs and AuNOs@GO nanocomposites for T-2 toxin detection by catalytic hairpin assembly.

T-2 toxin is the most potent and toxic mycotoxin, produced by various Fusarium species that can potentially affect human health, and widely exists in field crops and stored grain. In this work, an electrochemical aptasensor with nonenzymatic signal amplification strategy for the detection of T-2 toxin is presented, using noble metal nanocomposites and catalytic hairpin assembly as signal amplification strategy. Silver palladium nanoflowers and gold octahedron nanoparticles@graphene oxide nanocomposites are used for synergistic amplification of electrical signals. Simultaneously, the catalytic hairpin assembly strategy based on artificial molecular technology was introduced to further amplify the signal. Under optimal conditions, T-2 toxin was measured within a linear concentration range 1 × 10-2 ~ 1 × 104 pg·mL-1 with an extremely low detection limit of 6.71 fg·mL-1. The aptasensor exhibited high sensitivity, good selectivity, satisfactory stability, and excellent reproducibility. Moreover, this method had high accuracy in detecting T-2 toxin in beer sample. The encouraging results show the potential application in foodstuff analysis. A dual signal amplification electrochemical biosensor for the detection of T-2 toxins was constructed, through the signal amplification of noble metal nanomaterials and CHA strategy.

Quantitative proteomic analysis of tomato fruit ripening behavior in response to exogenous abscisic acid.

BACKGROUND: To determine how abscisic acid (ABA) affects tomato fruit ripening at the protein level, mature green cherry tomato fruit were treated with ABA, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) or sterile water (control, CK). The proteomes of treated fruit were analyzed and quantified using tandem mass tags (TMTs) at 7 days after treatment, and the gene transcription abundances of differently expressed proteins (DEPs) were validated with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Postharvest tomato fruit underwent faster color transformation and ripening than the CK when treated with ABA. In total, 6310 proteins were identified among the CK and treatment groups, of which 5359 were quantified. Using a change threshold of 1.2 or 0.83 times, 1081 DEPs were identified. Among them, 127 were upregulated and 127 were downregulated in the ABA versus CK comparison group. According to KEGG and protein-protein interaction network analyses, the ABA-regulated DEPs were primarily concentrated in the photosynthesis system and sugar metabolism pathways, and 102 DEPs associated with phytohormones biosynthesis and signal transduction, pigment synthesis and metabolism, cell wall metabolism, photosynthesis, redox reactions, allergens and defense responses were identified in the ABA versus CK and NDGA versus CK comparison groups. CONCLUSION: ABA affects tomato fruit ripening at the protein level to some extent. The results of this study provided comprehensive insights and data for further research on the regulatory mechanism of ABA in tomato fruit ripening. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Prediction of the mechanisms of action of Qutan Huoxue decoction in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): a network pharmacology study and experimental validation.

CONTEXT: Qutan Huoxue decoction (QTHX) is used to treat non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with good efficacy in the clinic. However, the mechanism is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the mechanism of QTHX in the treatment of NASH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Potential pathways of QTHX were predicted by network pharmacology. Fourty Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (half normal diet, half high-fat diet) were fed six to eight weeks, primary hepatocytes and Kupffer cells were extracted and co-cultured by the 0.4-micron trans well culture system. Then, the normal co-cultured cells were treated by normal serum, the NASH co-cultured cells were treated with various concentrations of QTHX-containing serum (0, 5, 7.5 or 10 µg/mL) for 24 h. The expression of targets were measured with Activity Fluorometric Assay, Western blot and PCR assay. RESULTS: Network pharmacology indicated that liver-protective effect of QTHX was associated with its anti-inflammation response, oxidative stress, and lipid receptor signalling. 10 µg/mL QTHX significantly reduced the inflammation response and lipid levels in primary hepatocytes (ALT: 46.43 ± 2.76 U/L, AST: 13.96 ± 1.08 U/L, TG: 0.25 ± 0.01 mmol/L, TC: 0.14 ± 0.05 mmol/L), comparing with 0 µg/mL NASH group (ALT: 148 ± 9.22 U/L, AST: 53.02 ± 2.30 U/L, TG: 0.74 ± 0.07 mmol/L, TC: 0.91 ± 0.07 mmol/L) (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, QTHX increased expression of SOCS1 and decreased expression of TLR4, Myd88, NF-κB. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested that QTHX treats NASH in rats by activating the SCOS1/NF-κB/TLR4 pathway, suggesting QTHX could be further developed as a potential liver-protecting agent.

The function of Lmpt in Drosophila heart tissue.

Drosophila melanogaster, a classical genetic model organism, is widely used in the field of research on cardiac development and pathophysiological changes. Drosophila Lmpt, a LIM domain protein, is highly homologous to the vertebrate Fhl2. Fhl2 mutations cause heart failure, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. Firstly, we prepared Lmpt polyclonal antibody and detected the expression of endogenous Lmpt in Drosophila muscle tissue and myocardial tissue, suggested Lmpt may play a role in Drosophila heart tissue. Secondly, We constructed Lmpt knockout drosophila by CRISPR/Cas9 system, the Lmpt knockout homozygous were lethal in embryonic stage, and showed absence and disorder of myocardial cells, indicated that Drosophila Lmpt regulates heart development. Thirdly, we found that the expression of Lmpt was down-regulated in dmef2 knockdown Drosophila. Lastly, Lmpt interacted with Mlp84B. We speculated that Drosophila Lmpt might participate in cardiac development through the dmef2-Lmpt/Mlp84B molecular pathway. This research provides a foundation and points out a new direction for the functional study of Lmpt in heart tissue.

Amino acid signatures in relation to polycystic ovary syndrome and increased risk of different metabolic disturbances.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Do women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a distinct plasma amino acid profile and do potential amino acid markers exist for different metabolic risks of PCOS? DESIGN: Chinese Han women (n = 380; 190 with PCOS and 190 controls matched for age and BMI) were recruited and basal state plasma collected. The concentrations of 50 amino acids were quantitatively determined by high-performance LCMS. RESULTS: Thirty-one amino acids had abnormal levels in the PCOS group versus the control group. Twenty-eight amino acids were upregulated and three amino acids downregulated. Multivariate statistical analysis identified 13 amino acids as potential metabolic markers of PCOS; of these, ROC curve analysis revealed 10 amino acids with high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing PCOS (AUC >0.80). The combination of these 10 amino acids were better able to diagnose PCOS than clinical endocrine parameters. Specific amino acids were associated with increased odds of obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in PCOS. Alterations of tyrosine, lysine, methionine, hydroxyarginine, 3-methyhistidine, GABA, methylhistidine and glycine were related to obesity in women with PCOS; enhanced levels of branched-chain amino acids, tyrosine, alanine and lysine were correlated to insulin resistance in the PCOS group; a combination of alanine, valine, leucine, tyrosine, glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine indicated the predictive potential of metabolic syndrome risk in women with PCOS. CONCLUSIONS: Women with PCOS suffered from severe dysfunction of amino acid metabolism. Specific amino acid signatures could be used as powerful markers for diagnosing PCOS and predicting metabolic disturbances.

Differential expression of circular RNAs in plasma exosomes from patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Exosomes are being extensively studied as a source of valuable new biomarkers. The underlying mechanism of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) may include changes in the circular RNAs (circRNAs) of exosomes. However, there is a lack of reports on the role of exosomal cirRNAs in the plasma of patients with AS. We isolated exosomes from the plasma of patients with AS and healthy individuals (controls). Subsequently, we investigated the circRNA profiles of the exosomes via high-throughput RNA sequencing and identified 56 differentially expressed circRNAs in the exosomes of patients with AS compared with those of the healthy controls. Gene Ontology demonstrated that the differentially expressed circRNAs were mainly involved in the negative regulation of the activity of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB and bone remodelling that is potentially related to AS. Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes and Genome demonstrated that the most highly AS-correlated pathways that were identified were 'notch signalling pathway' and those primarily involved with 'cholinergic synapse'. Finally, we validated five differentially expressed circRNAs using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and predicted their potential functions through the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. Our study is the first to report changes in exosomal circRNAs from plasma samples of patients with AS, and provide novel targets for further investigation of molecular mechanisms and potential intervention therapy targets of AS.

Antagonistic Activity and Mechanism of Bacillus subtilis XZ16-1 Suppression of Wheat Powdery Mildew and Growth Promotion of Wheat.

Wheat powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) is one of the most serious wheat diseases in the world. Biological control is considered an environmentally safe approach to control plant diseases. Here, to develop effective biocontrol agents for controlling wheat powdery mildew, antagonistic strain XZ16-1 was isolated and identified as Bacillus subtilis based on the morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence. The culture filtrate of B. subtilis XZ16-1 and its extracts had a significant inhibitory effect on the spore germination of Bgt. Moreover, the therapeutic and prevention efficacy of the 100% culture filtrate on wheat powdery mildew reached 81.18 and 83.72%, respectively, which was better than that of chemical fungicide triadimefon. Further antimicrobial mechanism analysis showed that the XZ16-1 culture filtrate could inhibit the development of powdery mildew spores by disrupting the cell membrane integrity, causing reductions in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and inducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the spores. Biochemical detection indicated that XZ16-1 could solubilize phosphate, fix nitrogen, and produce hydrolases, lipopeptides, siderophores, and indole-3-acetic acid. Defense-related enzymes activated in wheat seedlings treated with the culture filtrate indicated that disease resistance was induced in wheat to resist pathogens. Furthermore, a 106 CFU/ml suspension of XZ16-1 increased the height, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight of wheat seedlings by 77.13, 63.46, 76.73, and 19.16%, respectively, and showed good growth-promotion properties. This study investigates the antagonistic activity and reveals the action mechanism of XZ16-1, which can provide an effective microbial agent for controlling wheat powdery mildew.

Associations of walking impairment with visual impairment, depression, and cognitive function in U.S. older adults: NHANES 2013-2014.

BACKGROUND: Walking impairment, a common health problem among older adults, has been linked to poor vision and mental health. This study aimed to investigate the associations of walking impairment with visual impairment, depression, and cognitive function in older adults. METHODS: A total of 1,489 adults aged 60 years and older who had participated in the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 in the United States were included. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of walking impairment with visual impairment, depression, and four subdomains of cognitive function. Sample weights were used to ensure the generalizability of the results. RESULTS: Among all the participants (median age = 68 years; 53.7% women), 17.5% reported walking impairment. Walking impairment was significantly associated with visual impairment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.47-5.20) and depression (aOR = 4.66; 95% CI: 3.11-6.99). Walking impairment was only associated with the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSST) subdomain of cognitive function in total participants (aOR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95-0.99) and in non-Hispanic white adults (aOR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94-0.98). Participants with two or three impairment indicators had a higher OR of walking impairment (aOR = 3.64, 95% CI = 2.46-5.38) than those with 0-1 (reference group) impairment indicator. CONCLUSIONS: Walking impairment was associated with visual impairment, depression, and cognitive impairment in American older adults and also positively associated with the number of impairment indicators. The association between walking impairment and cognitive impairment varied according to race. Evaluations of vision, cognition, and depression should be conducted among older adults with walking impairment, and the needs of older adults should be provided in the evaluations alongside information on the biological aspects of their particular race.

Risk Factors for Fellow Eye Involvement in Patients with Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the possible risk factors for fellow eye involvement in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). METHODS: A total of 113 patients with unilateral NAION attack were included and divided into two groups according to whether fellow eye involvement was present over a mean follow-up period of 2.70 years (P25-P75: 0.77-3.54 years). General characteristics (including age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) and ocular characteristics (including initial best corrected visual acuity, initial visual field damage of the first eye and the presence/absence of a crowded disc) were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Cox regression was used to assess the risk factors for fellow eye involvement. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 40 patients developed fellow eye involvement. The initial best corrected visual acuity (P = 0.048) and mean deviation (MD) of the visual field (VF) (P = 0.039) of the first eye in patients with fellow eye involvement were worse than those in patients without it. Diabetes (HR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1. 50, 6.26, P = 0.002) and increased VF damage (moderate vs. mild, HR = 2.92, 95% CI: 1.03, 8.25, P = 0.043; severe vs. mild, HR = 5.01, 95% CI: 1.65, 15.20, P = 0.004) were associated with a significantly increased risk of fellow eye involvement. In 57 patients with apnea hypopnea index (AHI) data for further study, an AHI score≥ 23.2 was also found to be a risk factor (HR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.17, 9.69, P = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Diabetes, severer initial VF damage, and more severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) were risk factors for fellow eye involvement in NAION. For patients with these risk factors, more intensive follow-ups might be warranted.

Preparation and Characterization of Methyl Jasmonate Microcapsules and Their Preserving Effects on Postharvest Potato Tuber.

Potato tubers tend to sprout during long-term storage, resulting in quality deterioration and shortened shelf life. Restrictions on the use of chlorpropham, the major potato sprout suppressant, have led to a need to seek alternative methods. In this study, the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) solutions and MeJA microcapsules on sprouting and other key quality attributes of the potato tuber were investigated. The results showed that the MeJA solution was most effective at 300 µmol L-1 according to TOPSIS analysis. To prepare MeJA microcapsules, the optimal formulation is with 0.04% emulsifier, 2.5% sodium alginate, 0.5% chitosan and 3% CaCl2. Compared to 300 µmol L-1 MeJA solution, MeJA microcapsules consumed a lower dose of MeJA but demonstrated a better retaining effect on the overall quality attributes of potato tubers. MeJA microcapsules are promising agents for the preservation of postharvest potato tubers.

Non-Destructive Hyperspectral Imaging for Rapid Determination of Catalase Activity and Ageing Visualization of Wheat Stored for Different Durations.

(1) In order to accurately judge the new maturity of wheat and better serve the collection, storage, processing and utilization of wheat, it is urgent to explore a fast, convenient and non-destructively technology. (2) Methods: Catalase activity (CAT) is an important index to evaluate the ageing of wheat. In this study, hyperspectral imaging technology (850-1700 nm) combined with a BP neural network (BPNN) and a support vector machine (SVM) were used to establish a quantitative prediction model for the CAT of wheat with the classification of the ageing of wheat based on different storage durations. (3) Results: The results showed that the model of 1ST-SVM based on the full-band spectral data had the best prediction performance (R2 = 0.9689). The SPA extracted eleven characteristic bands as the optimal wavelengths, and the established model of MSC-SPA-SVM showed the best prediction result with R2 = 0.9664. (4) Conclusions: The model of MSC-SPA-SVM was used to visualize the CAT distribution of wheat ageing. In conclusion, hyperspectral imaging technology can be used to determine the CAT content and evaluate wheat ageing, rapidly and non-destructively.

Study on sampling scheme for detecting mycotoxin during wheat storage.

BACKGROUND: Mycotoxin produced by mould is one of the most serious contamination sources in food security. Safe storage of grain has become more important to control food security. Currently, there is no officially approved or standardized sampling scheme for detecting mycotoxin in grain storage worldwide. RESULTS: In this study, deoxynivalenol (DON) was taken as a typical mycotoxin in stored wheat to be detected. Population density of corn weevil could not significantly increase wheat moisture, but wheat moisture was highly significantly and positively correlated with DON content (P < 0.01). Corn weevil density significantly increased the DON content in wheat. DON contamination degree was mainly distributed in the region of 14-20 cm below the surface layer of wheat. In the process of ventilation and dehumidification during the storage period, moisture of wheat decreased slightly with the extension of ventilation, but the DON content in wheat increased significantly. Combined with the analysis of ventilation, DON content in the upper layer and H1 position, where the wind direction is not easy to reach, increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Areas with high insect population density (14-20 cm below the surface layer of stored wheat) and low ventilation and high humidification (H1 position in the upper layer) should be taken as the key cutting sample areas for detecting mycotoxin during the period of grain storage. This study provides for the first time a scientific basis for the standardization of the wheat sampling scheme to monitor mycotoxin contamination during wheat storage. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Acute exposure to N-Ethylpentylone induces developmental toxicity and dopaminergic receptor-regulated aberrances in zebrafish larvae.

N-Ethylpentylone (NEP) is one of the most recent novel stimulants, and there is limited understanding of its toxicity. Here we employed zebrafish model for analyzing the effects of NEP on early embryos and cardiovascular and nervous systems at late developmental stages. We first observed multi-malformations in early embryos and larvae after NEP administration, together with significant deregulations of brain and heart development-associated genes (neurog1, her6, elavl3, nkx2.5, nppa, nppb, tnnt2a) at transcriptional level. Low-dosed NEP treatment induced an anxiety-like phenotype in zebrafish larvae, while higher doses of NEP exerted an inhibitory effect on locomotion and heart rate. Besides, the expression of th (tyrosine hydroxylase) and th2 (tyrosine hydroxylase 2), identifying dopamine (DA) release, were significantly increased during one-hour free swimming after effective low-dosed NEP administration, along with the upregulation of gene fosab and fosb related to stress and anxiety response. D1R antagonist SCH23390 and D2R antagonist sulpiride partially alleviated the aberrances of locomotion and heart rate, indicating dopaminergic receptors were involved in the bidirectional dosage-dependent pattern of NEP-induced performance. Meanwhile, sulpiride offset the upregulated expression of th, th2 and fosab in the group of 1.5 µM NEP, which highlighted the significant role of D2R in NEP-induced locomotive effects. This study systematically described the developmental, neuronal and cardiac toxicity of NEP in zebrafish, and identified the dopaminergic receptors as one of the downstream effectors of NEP administration.

Elemental Sulfur-Promoted Benzoxazole/Benzothiazole Formation Using a C═C Double Bond as a One-Carbon Donator.

An efficient method to assemble diverse benzoxazoles/benzothiazoles in good yields was developed via oxidative cyclization with 2-aminothiophenols or 2-iodoanilines as raw materials. In this protocol, elemental sulfur was used as the effective oxidant and C atoms on the C═C double bond were introduced as a one-carbon donator.

The important role of fungi in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a life-threatening and chronic inflammatory disease of gastrointestinal tissue, with complex pathogenesis. Current research on IBD has mainly focused on bacteria; however, the role of fungi in IBD is largely unknown due to the incomplete annotation of fungi in current genomic databases. With the development of molecular techniques, the gut mycobiome has been found to have great diversity. In addition, increasing evidence has shown intestinal mycobiome plays an important role in the physiological and pathological processes of IBD. In this review, we will systemically introduce the recent knowledge about multi-dimensional fungal dysbiosis associated with IBD, the interactions between fungus and bacteria, the role of fungi in inflammation in IBD, and highlight recent advances in the potential therapeutic role of fungus in IBD, which may hold the keys to develop new predictive, therapeutic or prognostic approaches in IBD.

Correlation analysis of long non-coding RNA TUG1 with disease risk, clinical characteristics, treatment response, and survival profiles of adult Ph- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 (lncRNA TUG1) is reported to be involved in the progression and development of several malignancies; however, its role in Philadelphia chromosome-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph- ALL) is unknown. The present study aimed to explore the correlation of lncRNA TUG1 with disease risk, disease condition, and prognosis of adult Ph- ALL. METHODS: Total 101 adult Ph- ALL patients and 40 bone marrow (BM) donors were included, followed by detection of BM monocyte cell lncRNA TUG1 expression by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. According to the quantiles of lncRNA TUG1 expression in Ph- ALL patients, these patients were divided into four tiers: tier 1 (ranked in 0%~25%), tier 2 (ranked in 25%~50%), tier 3 (ranked in 50%~75%), and tier 4 (ranked in 75%~100%). RESULTS: LncRNA TUG1 was upregulated in Ph- ALL patients compared with healthy donors. Further analysis indicated that in Ph- ALL patients, higher lncRNA TUG1 tier was correlated with the presence of central nervous system leukemia, increased white blood cell level, and bone marrow blasts. Furthermore, higher lncRNA TUG1 tier was negatively associated with complete remission (CR) within 4 weeks, total CR, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant achievement. In addition, higher lncRNA TUG1 tier was associated with decreased disease-free survival and overall survival, which was further verified to be an independent factor by Cox's regression analysis. CONCLUSION: lncRNA TUG1 presents potential to be a novel biomarker for disease risk assessment and survival surveillance in Ph- ALL management.

Primary research on sampling scheme for analyzing mycotoxin distribution in wheat and rice fields.

BACKGROUND: Mycotoxins are among the most severe food contaminants. Deoxynivalenol and aflatoxin contamination are predominant in wheat and rice, respectively. Nowadays, there are no standardized and approved grain-sampling schemes worldwide. This study aimed to develop a scientific grain-sampling scheme to investigate the regularity of mycotoxin distributed in wheat and rice fields. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance and cluster analysis to select a better sampling scheme. RESULTS: Considering the influences of the weather before harvest (temperature, humidity, wind direction, and other conditions), we sampled grains from different places in different farmlands and detected the mycotoxin content of the sampled grains. The mycotoxin content had extremely significant differences in the area of rice fields (P<0.01) and significant differences in the area of wheat fields (P<0.05). The filtering effect existed peripheral the field areas, especially peripheral the humid areas, where the fungi were filtered and the toxin were easily produced. Furthermore, the upwind direction peripheral the field areas cause more filterature effect than other wind direction. Although 97% of mycotoxins in wheat can be removed through the shelling process, the toxin content were not obviously affected by rice lodging in the field. According to the cluster analysis, the peripheral and middle areas were divided into the same group with higher mycotoxin content. CONCLUSION: This paper developed a sampling scheme to detect the mycotoxin content of wheat and rice in the field, considering the temperature and humidity of the weather, locations, and other grain contamination conditions before harvest. Meanwhile, the sampling rule of lodging and wind direction in the field was also assayed. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Disorder of intestinal amino acid pathway in depression-like offspring rats induced by maternal separation.

To investigate the intestinal amino acids pathway in depression-like offspring rats induced by maternal separation. Sprague-Dawley (SD) female rats were randomly divided into a control group (=8) and a maternal separation group (=8). After normal delivery, the maternal rats were separated from offsprings for 14 consecutive days and 3 h per day in maternal separation group; while rats in the control group was received no interventions in postpartum. Depression-like behaviors of offspring rats were evaluated using the sucrose preference test, novelty suppressed feeding test, and forced swimming test. Amino acid analyzer was used to detect the changes of amino acid contents in the small intestine, and the expressions of alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2), solute carrier superfamily 6 member 19 (BAT1) and L-type amino acid transporter 1(LAT1) were detected by Western blot. The weight of the offspring rats in the maternal separation group was significantly lower than that of the control group at 21 and 28 d (=4.925 and 5.766, all <0.01). Compared with the control group, the percentage of sucrose preference of the offspring rats in the maternal separation group was significantly reduced (=2.709, <0.05), and the feeding latency was significantly prolonged (=-13.431, <0.01). The immobility time in FST of maternal separation group was significantly longer (=-3.616, <0.01).Increased concentration of aspartic acid (=-6.672, <0.01) and down-regulation of glutamine (=3.107, <0.01) and glycine (=9.781, <0.01) were observed in maternal separation group. Western blot analysis revealed that the protein expressions of ASCT2 (=6.734, <0.01) and BAT1 (=9.015, <0.01) in maternal separation group were reduced, while the expression of LAT1 was increased (=-8.942, <0.01). Maternal separation can induce the depression-like behavior in offspring rats; the amino acid contents and the amino acid transporter expression in the small intestine are reduced, which may be related to depression-like behavior induced by maternal separation.