Host cell wall composition and localized microenvironment implicated in resistance to basal stem degradation by lettuce drop (Sclerotinia minor).

BACKGROUND: Sclerotinia spp. are generalist fungal pathogens, infecting over 700 plant hosts worldwide, including major crops. While host resistance is the most sustainable and cost-effective method for disease management, complete resistance to Sclerotinia diseases is rare. We recently identified soft basal stem as a potential susceptibility factor to Sclerotinia minor infection in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under greenhouse conditions. RESULTS: Analysis of stem and root cell wall composition in five L. sativa and one L. serriola accessions with varying growth habits and S. minor resistance levels revealed strong association between hemicellulose constituents, lignin polymers, disease phenotypes, and basal stem mechanical strength. Accessions resistant to basal stem degradation consistently exhibited higher levels of syringyl, guaiacyl, and xylose, but lower levels of fucose in stems. These findings suggest that stem cell wall polymers recalcitrant to breakdown by lignocellulolytic enzymes may contribute to stem strength-mediated resistance against S. minor. CONCLUSIONS: The lignin content, particularly guaiacyl and syringyl, along with xylose could potentially serve as biomarkers for identifying more resistant lettuce accessions and breeding lines. Basal stem degradation by S. minor was influenced by localized microenvironment conditions around the stem base of the plants.

Effects of Defatting Pretreatment on Polysaccharide Extraction from Rambutan Seeds Using Subcritical Water: Optimization Using the Desirability Approach.

Rambutan seeds are by-products generated from fruit-processing factories; the leftover seeds are buried in landfills, generating methane emissions. This work aimed to extract polysaccharides (POLS) from rambutan seeds by using subcritical water extraction (SWE). The effects of defatting pretreatment and operating parameters in SWE were investigated using a Box-Behnken design. The results show that defatting pretreatment significantly enriched the POLS yield, while it had no significant effect on the total sugar content. Using the desirability approach, the suitable feedstock for SWE was defatted rambutan seeds. The maximum desirability of 0.86 was found at a temperature range of 145-150 °C, an extraction time of 15 min, and a liquid-solid ratio of 10:1. The POLS yield and total sugar content were in the range of 52.33-55.63 g/100 g feedstock and 83.37-87.45 g/100 g POLS, respectively. The extracted POLS had an equivalent molecular weight of 413.70 kDa that could be used as an extender in plant-based products. In conclusion, the defatting pretreatment of rambutan seeds not only improved the POLS yield obtained via SWE but also generated additional lipids that could be utilized as an unconventional source of specialty fat.

A gluten-free diet for endometriosis patients lacks evidence to recommend it.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic disease characterized by the presence of endometriumlike tissue outside the uterus and is often associated with symptoms, such as dysmenorrhea, dysuria, dyschezia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Moreover, women diagnosed with endometriosis can report gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal cramping, which can be associated with irritable bowel syndrome and can result in the misdiagnosis of endometriosis as irritable bowel syndrome at first. Treatment usually involves hormonal therapy, pain management, surgery, and/or assisted reproductive techniques in case of infertility. Nonetheless, these treatment methods can be insufficient for alleviating symptoms or can have unacceptable side effects, leading to noncompliance. Therefore, women often apply self-management strategies, including dietary interventions. One of the diets frequently suggested as a tool to manage endometriosis-related symptoms on social media and patient forums is a gluten-free diet. Although a gluten-free diet has been proven effective in managing nonceliac wheat sensitivity or celiac disease, its effectiveness in endometriosis remains uncertain. The Nurses' Health Study II found it unlikely that gluten intake was a strong factor in endometriosis etiology and symptomatology. To the best of our knowledge, the most frequently cited and sole published intervention study on the efficacy of a gluten-free diet for endometriosis has several important limiting factors, including the absence of a control group. In addition, gluten consumption is highly susceptible to a placebo effect and a nocebo effect, where women might experience symptom relief after eliminating gluten and return of symptoms after they consume gluten again, solely because they believe that gluten is bad for them. Despite the inverse association between body mass index and endometriosis and between a gluten-free diet and increased body mass index, this is an association, and no causality was proven. In addition, other factors should be taken into consideration. Of note, a gluten-free diet is expensive, has limited availability, and has a significant effect on quality of life. Moreover, without proper dietary guidance, it may adversely affect the gastrointestinal microbiome. Therefore, scientifically substantiated advice regarding the use of a gluten-free diet for endometriosis-related symptoms is currently not available, and a gluten-free diet should be discouraged unless there is an additional diagnosis of nonceliac wheat sensitivity or celiac disease.

Advances in Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometric Techniques for Analyzing Reducing Monosaccharides and Their Phosphates in Biological Samples.

Reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates are critical metabolites in the central carbon metabolism pathway of living organisms. Variations in their content can indicate abnormalities in metabolic pathways and the onset of certain diseases, necessitating their analysis and detection. Reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates exhibit significant variations in content within biological samples and are present in many isomers, which makes the accurate quantification of reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates in biological samples a challenging task. Various analytical methods such as spectroscopy, fluorescence detection, colorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, sensor-based techniques, chromatography, and mass spectrometry are employed to detect monosaccharides and phosphates. In comparison, chromatography and mass spectrometry are highly favored for their ability to simultaneously analyze multiple components and their high sensitivity and selectivity. This review thoroughly evaluates the current chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods used for detecting reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates from 2013 to 2023, highlighting their efficacy and the advancements in these analytical technologies.

Microwave-assisted extraction of mucilage from juá: Characterization and antioxidant activity.

Microwave-assisted extraction of mucilage from juá was investigated using response surface methodology. The optimal conditions for extraction were a power of 300 W, an extraction time of 240 s, a pH of 8.0, and a water/sample ratio of 1/6, which achieved a 26.43% yield. The monosaccharide composition and antioxidant activity of the mucilage from juá fruits from different regions of Caatinga were investigated. The fruits from Agreste Paraibano showed the highest mucilage extraction yield (18.64%) compared to that of fruits from Mata Paraibana (MP) (12.37%), Borborema (BB) (11.47%), and Sertão Paraibano (8.31%) (p < 0.05). Glucose (32.8%-50.8%) and arabinose (19.3%-32.9%) were the main monosaccharides found in juá mucilage. The mucilage from fruits in the MP presented the highest antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays. Our results demonstrated the potential for the future exploration and application of juá mucilage in the food industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Juá (Ziziphus joazeiro Mart.) mucilage contains phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, and its extraction by MAE is efficient, as it contributed to a higher yield.

Graph theoretical descriptors differentiate d-Mannose isomers in the principal component proposed feature space: A computational approach.

The intricate nature of carbohydrates, particularly monosaccharides, stems from the existence of several chiral centers within their tertiary structures. Predicting and characterizing the molecular geometries and electrostatic landscapes of these substances is difficult due to their complex electrical properties. Moreover, these structures can display a substantial degree of conformational flexibility due to the presence of many rotatable bonds. Moreover, identifying and distinguishing between D and L enantiomers of monosaccharides presents a significant analytical obstacle since there is a need for empirically measurable properties that can distinguish them. This work uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to explore the chemical information included in 3D descriptors in order to comprehend the conformational space of d-Mannose stereoisomers. The isomers may be discriminated by utilizing 3D matrix-based indices, geometrical descriptors, and RDF descriptors. The isomers can be distinguished by descriptors, such as the Harary-like index from the reciprocal squared geometrical matrix (H_RG), Harary-like index from Coulomb matrix (H_Coulomb), Wiener-like index from Coulomb matrix (Wi_Coulomb), Wiener-like index from geometrical matrix (Wi_G), Graph energy from Coulomb matrix (SpAbs_Coulomb), Spectral absolute deviation from Coulomb matrix (SpAD_Coulomb), and Spectral positive sum from Coulomb matrix (SpPos_Coulomb). Among these descriptors, the first two, H_RG and H_Coulomb, perform the best in differentiation among the 3D-Matrix-Based Descriptors (3D-MBD) class. The results obtained from this study provide a significant chemical insight into the structural characteristics of the compounds inside the graph theoretical framework. These findings are likely to serve as the basis for developing new methods for analytical experiments.

Synthesis and Performance of Bio-Based Amphoteric Surfactants.

As the global surfactant market continues to expand, there is an increasing need to develop bio-based alternatives in the shift towards a circular economy. This study focuses on the synthesis of polar, amphoteric, amine-oxide surfactants starting from biomass-derived monosaccharides and demonstrating their potential in various applications. The synthesis involved a reductive amination of the sugars with an alkylamine and formaldehyde followed by oxidation to produce N-oxide surfactants. These bio-based surfactants exhibited promising properties, including high solubility, foamability, surface tension reduction, and critical micelle concentration. In particular, N-GalA1.10 and N-GalA1.12 showed comparable performance to commercial surfactants. Furthermore, these bio-based surfactants demonstrated significantly lower skin irritation potential when compared to petrochemical-derived counterparts like sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), making them potentially suitable for personal care products. The biodegradability assessment revealed that N-GalA1.12 exhibited good biodegradation, indicating its potential environmental compatibility. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of bio-based N-oxide surfactants derived from monosaccharides as sustainable and skin-friendly alternatives to traditional amphoteric surfactants, like cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB).

Homochiral light-sensitive metal-organic framework photoelectrochemical gated transistor for enantioselective discrimination of monosaccharides.

As pure antipodes may differ in biological interactions, pharmacology, and toxicity, discrimination of enantiomers is important in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Two major challenges in enantiomer determination are transducing and amplifying the distinct chiral-recognition signals. In this study, a light-sensitive organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) with homochiral character is developed for enantiomer discrimination. Demonstrated with the discrimination of glucose enantiomers, the photoelectrochemically active gate electrode is prepared by integrating Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a chiral Cu(II)-metal-organic framework (c-CuMOF) onto TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNT). The captured glucose enantiomers are oxidized to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by the oxidase-mimicking AuNPs-loaded c-CuMOF. Based on the confinement effect of the mesopocket structure of the c-CuMOF and the remarkable charge transfer ability of the 1D nanotubular architecture, variations in H2O2 yield are translated into significant changes in OPECT drain currents (ID) by inducing a catalytic precipitation reaction. Variations in ID confer a sensitive discrimination of glucose enantiomers with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.07 µM for L-Glu and 0.05 µM for D-Glu. This enantiomer-driven gate electrode response strategy not only provides a new route for enantiomer identification, but also helps to understand the origin of the high stereoselectivity in living systems.

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

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

Insights on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Carbohydrate Binding from Profiles of Cystic Fibrosis Isolates Using Multivalent Fluorescent Glycopolymers Bearing Pendant Monosaccharides.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to frequent, persistent, and, often, polymicrobial respiratory tract infections for individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Chronic CF infections lead to bronchiectasis and a shortened lifespan. P. aeruginosa expresses numerous adhesins, including lectins known to bind the epithelial cell and mucin glycoconjugates. Blocking carbohydrate-mediated host-pathogen and intra-biofilm interactions critical to the initiation and perpetuation of colonization offer promise as anti-infective treatment strategies. To inform anti-adhesion therapies, we profiled the monosaccharide binding of P. aeruginosa from CF and non-CF sources, and assessed whether specific bacterial phenotypic characteristics affected carbohydrate-binding patterns. Focusing at the cellular level, microscopic and spectrofluorometric tools permitted the solution-phase analysis of P. aeruginosa binding to a panel of fluorescent glycopolymers possessing distinct pendant monosaccharides. All P. aeruginosa demonstrated significant binding to glycopolymers specific for α-D-galactose, ß-D-N-acetylgalactosamine, and ß-D-galactose-3-sulfate. In each culture, a small subpopulation accounted for the binding. The carbohydrate anomeric configuration and sulfate ester presence markedly influenced binding. While this opportunistic pathogen from CF hosts presented with various colony morphologies and physiological activities, no phenotypic, physiological, or structural feature predicted enhanced or diminished monosaccharide binding. Important to anti-adhesive therapeutic strategies, these findings suggest that, regardless of phenotype or clinical source, P. aeruginosa maintain a small subpopulation that may readily associate with specific configurations of specific monosaccharides. This report provides insights into whole-cell P. aeruginosa carbohydrate-binding profiles and into the context within which successful anti-adhesive and/or anti-virulence anti-infective agents for CF must contend.

Optimisation of sugar and solid biofuel co-production from almond tree prunings by acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis.

Almond pruning biomass is an important agricultural residue that has been scarcely studied for the co-production of sugars and solid biofuels. In this work, the production of monosaccharides from almond prunings was optimised by a two-step process scheme: pretreatment with dilute sulphuric acid (0.025 M, at 185.9-214.1 â„ƒ for 0.8-9.2 min) followed by enzyme saccharification of the pretreated cellulose. The application of a response surface methodology enabled the mathematical modelling of the process, establishing pretreatment conditions to maximise both the amount of sugar in the acid prehydrolysate (23.4 kg/100 kg raw material, at 195.7 â„ƒ for 3.5 min) and the enzymatic digestibility of the pretreated cellulose (45.4%, at 210.0 â„ƒ for 8.0 min). The highest overall sugar yield (36.8 kg/100 kg raw material, equivalent to 64.3% of all sugars in the feedstock) was obtained with a pretreatment carried out at 197.0 â„ƒ for 4.0 min. Under these conditions, moreover, the final solids showed better properties for thermochemical utilisation (22.0 MJ/kg heating value, 0.87% ash content, and 72.1 mg/g moisture adsorption capacity) compared to those of the original prunings.

Extensive Analysis of Mulberry (Morus rubra L.) Polysaccharides with Different Maturities by Using Two-Step Extraction and LC/QqQ-MS.

A primary challenge of polysaccharide analysis is the need for comprehensive extraction and characterization methods. In this study, mulberry polysaccharides at different maturities were fully extracted through a two-step process involving ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and their structures were determined by a combination analysis of monosaccharides and glycosidic linkages based on liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/QqQ-MS). The results indicate mulberry polysaccharides mainly contain highly branched pectic polysaccharides, (1,3,6)-linked glucan, xylan, and xyloglucan, but the content of different portions varies at different maturity stages. HG decreases from 19.12 and 19.14% (green mulberry) to 9.80 and 6.08% (red mulberry) but increases to 17.83 and 11.83% as mulberry transitioned from red to black. In contrast, the contents of glucan showed opposite trends. When mulberry turns red to black, the RG-I arabinan chains decrease from 47.75 and 28.86% to 13.16 and 12.72%, while the galactan side chains increase from 1.18 and 1.91 to 8.3 and 6.49%, xylan and xyloglucan show an increase in content. Overall, the two-step extraction combined with LC/QqQ-MS provides a new strategy for extensive analysis of complex plant polysaccharides.

Simple one-step treatment for saccharification of mango peels using an optimized enzyme cocktail of Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642.

Developing efficient microbiological methods to convert polysaccharide-rich materials into fermentable sugars, particularly monosaccharides, is vital for advancing the bioeconomy and producing renewable chemicals and energy sources. This study focused on optimizing the production conditions of an enzyme cocktail from Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642 using solid-state fermentation (SSF) and assessing its effectiveness in saccharifying mango peels through a simple, rapid, and efficient one-step process. A rotatable central composite design was employed to determine optimal conditions of moisture, time, and pH for enzyme production in SSF medium. The optimized enzyme cocktail exhibited cellulase activity (CMCase) at 6.28 U/g, filter paper activity (FPase) at 3.29 U/g, and pectinase activity at 117.02 U/g. These optimal activities were achieved with an SSF duration of 81 h, pH of 4.66, and a moisture content of 59%. The optimized enzyme cocktail effectively saccharified the mango peels without the need for chemical agents. The maximum saccharification yield reached approximately 81%, indicating efficient conversion of mango peels into sugars. The enzyme cocktail displayed consistent thermal stability within the tested temperature range of 30-60°C. Notably, the highest sugar release occurred within 36 h, with glucose, arabinose, galactose, and xylose being the primary monosaccharides released during saccharification. This study highlights the potential application of Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642 and SSF for enzymatic production, offering a simple and high-performance process for monosaccharide production. The optimized enzyme cocktail obtained through solid-state fermentation demonstrated efficient saccharification of mango peels, suggesting its suitability for industrial-scale applications.

Effects of Maillard reaction of different monosaccharide-modified on some functional properties of fish gelatin.

In this work, the effects of Maillard reaction of different monosaccharide-modified fish gelatin were studied. The changes of gel properties, rheology and structure of fish gelatin before and after modification were compared and analyzed, and oil-in-woter emulsions were prepared. The results showed that the five-carbon monosaccharide had stronger modification ability than the six-carbon monosaccharide, which was mainly due to the different steric hindrance of the amino acids in the nuclear layer and the outer layer to the glycosylation reaction. With the progress of the Maillard reaction, the color of fish gelatin gradually became darker. The attachment of sugar chains inhibited the gelation process of fish gelatin, decreased the gelation rate, changed the secondary structure, increased the content of ß-turn or α-helix, increased the degree of fluorescence quenching, and enhanced the emulsifying properties and emulsion stability. This study provides useful information for the preparation of different types of monosaccharide-modified proteins and emulsions.

The characteristics of polysaccharide composition of red wines in China: Effects of grape varieties, origins and winemaking techniques.

In this work, the polysaccharide profile of different grapes and red wines in China was studied and the influences of two common winemaking techniques on the components of wine were analyzed. The soluble polysaccharide content in the skins of native grape species in China (non-Vitis vinifera grapes) was significantly higher than that of Vitis vinifera species, while the terroir effect on V. vinifera varieties was limited. The combination of the enzyme preparation and the addition of mannoproteins (MPs) at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation (MP1 + E) could increase the contents of MPs and acid polysaccharides (APS) compared to the control wines. Meanwhile, better color characteristics and higher level of anthocyanin derivatives were observed. However, MP1 + E treatment reduced the content of polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAGs) due to enzymatic hydrolysis. The study will provide useful information for winemakers to regulate the wine polysaccharide profile.

Comparison of Milk Kefirs Obtained from Cow's, Ewe's and Goat's Milk: Antioxidant Role of Microbial-Derived Exopolysaccharides.

Different types of milk are used in the production of milk kefir, but little information is available on the release of potentially antioxidant exopolysaccharides (EPS). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the microbial dynamics and EPS release are dependent on the milk substrate. In our study, the inoculated microbial consortium was driven differently by each type of milk (cow, ewe, and goat). This was evident in the sugar consumption, organic acid production, free amino release, and EPS production. The amount and the composition of the secreted EPS varied depending on the milk type, with implications for the structure and functional properties of the EPS. The low EPS yield in ewe's milk was associated with a higher lactic acid production and thus with the use of carbon sources oriented towards energy production. Depending on the milk used as substrate, the EPS showed different monosaccharide and FT-IR profiles, microstructures, and surface morphologies. These differences affected the antiradical properties and reducing power of the EPS. In particular, EPS extracted from cow's milk had a higher antioxidant activity than other milk types, and the antioxidant activity was concentration dependent.

Synthesis and kinetic evaluation of phosphomimetic inhibitors targeting type B ribose-5-phosphate isomerase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Because tuberculosis is still a major health threat worldwide, identification of new drug targets is urgently needed. In this study, we considered type B ribose-5-phosphate isomerase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a potential target, and addressed known problems of previous inhibitors in terms of their sensitivity to hydrolysis catalyzed by phosphatase enzymes, which impaired their potential use as drugs. To this end, we synthesized six novel phosphomimetic compounds designed to be hydrolytically stable analogs of the substrate ribose 5-phosphate and the best known inhibitor 5-phospho-d-ribonate. The phosphate function was replaced by phosphonomethyl, sulfate, sulfonomethyl, or malonate groups. Inhibition was evaluated on type A and type B ribose-5-phosphate isomerases, and stability towards hydrolysis using alkaline phosphatase and veal serum was assessed. One of the phosphomimetic analogs, 5-deoxy-5-phosphonomethyl-d-ribonate, emerged as the first strong and specific inhibitor of the M. tuberculosis enzyme that is resistant to hydrolysis.

Combined gestational age and serum fucose for early prediction of risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: As the predominant complication in preterm infants, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) necessitates accurate identification of infants at risk and expedited therapeutic interventions for an improved prognosis. This study evaluates the potential of Monosaccharide Composite (MC) enriched with environmental information from circulating glycans as a diagnostic biomarker for early-onset BPD, and, concurrently, appraises BPD risk in premature neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study incorporated 234 neonates of ≤32 weeks gestational age. Clinical data and serum samples, collected one week post-birth, were meticulously assessed. The quantification of serum-free monosaccharides and their degraded counterparts was accomplished via High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Logistic regression analysis facilitated the construction of models for early BPD diagnosis. The diagnostic potential of various monosaccharides for BPD was determined using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, integrating clinical data for enhanced diagnostic precision, and evaluated by the Area Under the Curve (AUC). RESULTS: Among the 234 neonates deemed eligible, BPD development was noted in 68 (29.06%), with 70.59% mild (48/68) and 29.41% moderate-severe (20/68) cases. Multivariate analysis delineated several significant risk factors for BPD, including gestational age, birth weight, duration of both invasive mechanical and non-invasive ventilation, Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), pregnancy-induced hypertension, and concentrations of two free monosaccharides (Glc-F and Man-F) and five degraded monosaccharides (Fuc-D, GalN-D, Glc-D, and Man-D). Notably, the concentrations of Glc-D and Fuc-D in the moderate-to-severe BPD group were significantly diminished relative to the mild BPD group. A potent predictive capability for BPD development was exhibited by the conjunction of gestational age and Fuc-D, with an AUC of 0.96. CONCLUSION: A predictive model harnessing the power of gestational age and Fuc-D demonstrates promising efficacy in foretelling BPD development with high sensitivity (95.0%) and specificity (94.81%), potentially enabling timely intervention and improved neonatal outcomes.

Methyl jasmonate regulation of pectin polysaccharides in Cosmos bipinnatus roots: A mechanistic insight into alleviating cadmium toxicity.

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA), a crucial phytohormone, which plays an important role in resistance to Cadmium (Cd) stress. The cell wall (CW) of root system is the main location of Cd and plays a key role in resistance to Cd toxicity. However, the mechanism effect of MeJA on the CW composition and Cd accumulation remain unclear. In this study, the contribution of MeJA in regulating CW structure, pectin composition and Cd accumulation was investigated in Cosmos bipinnatus. Phenotypic results affirm MeJA's significant role in reducing Cd-induced toxicity in C. bipinnatus. Notably, MeJA exerts a dual impact, reducing Cd uptake in roots while increasing Cd accumulation in the CW, particularly bound to pectin. The molecular structure of pectin, mainly uronic acid (UA), correlates positively with Cd content, consistent in HC1 and cellulose, emphasizing UA as pivotal for Cd binding. Furthermore, MeJA modulates pectin methylesterase (PME) activity under Cd stress, influencing pectin's molecular structure and homogalacturonan (HG) content affecting Cd-binding capacity. Chelate-soluble pectin (CSP) within soluble pectins accumulates a substantial Cd proportion, with MeJA regulating both UA content and the minor component 3-deoxy-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) in CSP. The study delves into the intricate regulation of pectin monosaccharide composition under Cd stress, revealing insights into the CW's physical defense and Cd binding. In summary, this research provides novel insights into MeJA-specific mechanisms alleviating Cd toxicity in C. bipinnatus, shedding light on complex interactions between MeJA, and Cd accumulation in CW pectin polysaccharide.

Treatment of functional bowel disorders in an integrative medicine clinic resulting in improved digestive tract symptoms.

Background and Aim: Functional bowel disorders (FBDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and others, are conditions without a physically identifiable etiology that, as a result, are difficult to treat. Alternatives to traditional medical interventions are needed because IBS patients require more of physician time and higher healthcare spending. The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of alternative lifestyle interventions for patients with FBDs seen in an integrative medicine (IM) clinic at an academic medical center. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review to determine whether patients with FBDs had improvement in symptoms following predominantly nutrition-based IM interventions that included recommendations for dietary supplements and elimination diets. We measured symptoms before and after intervention (average time between measurements 8.75 months) using a medical symptoms questionnaire (MSQ) commonly used to quantify symptom change in IM clinics. Results: Digestive tract symptoms, as measured by the MSQ, improved significantly in patients (n = 57) with FBDs following IM intervention. The MSQ Digestive Tract subtotal for FBD patients decreased from 10.2 (SD, 5.4) to 7.2 (SD, 5.2) (P < 0.001) after IM intervention. Conclusions: Patients in an IM clinic had improved digestive tract symptoms scores following IM intervention. Because nutrition-based interventions were the primary intervention recommended by IM providers, primary care physicians and gastroenterologists may wish to consider referring FBD patients to registered dietitian-nutritionists (RDNs) skilled in implementing elimination diets.