The association between raw garlic consumption and the risk of depressive symptoms: the TCLSIH cohort study.

Background: Garlic has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular improvement and other beneficial effects on human health. However, few studies have evaluated the association of garlic intake with the risk of depressive symptoms. The aim of this prospective cohort was to examine the association between the frequency of raw garlic consumption and depressive symptoms in the general adult population. Methods: A total of 7427 participants (mean ± standard deviation: 39.7 ± 10.5 years) without baseline depressive symptoms were included in the cohort study. Garlic consumption was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and depressive symptoms were assessed by a Chinese version of the Self-rating Depression Scale score (SDS score ≥ 45). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between garlic consumption and the risk of depressive symptoms. Results: This study identified 1070 cases of depressive symptoms during a median follow-up of 2.0 years, with a depression prevalence of 73.4 cases per 1000 person-years. After multivariate adjustment, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for depressive symptoms in males were 1.00 (reference) for almost never, 1.05 (0.84, 1.32) for ≤1 time per week, 1.16 (0.90, 1.49) for 2-3 times per week, and 1.31 (0.97, 1.78) for ≥4 times per week, and in females, they were 1.00 (reference) for almost never, 0.85 (0.69, 1.06) for ≤1 time per week, 0.72 (0.54, 0.97) for 2-3 times per week, and 0.78 (0.53, 1.13) for ≥4 times per week. Conclusion: In a large general population, we demonstrate for the first time that moderate raw garlic consumption is associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms in females, but not in males. Additional prospective studies with long-term follow-up and randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm the preliminary results of the current study.

Synthesis of BiPO4 by crystallization and hydroxylation with boosted photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants in air and water.

Environmental photocatlytsis has been considered as a promising alternative strategy to address the current environmental threats and pressures. Fabrication of the photocatalysts with high efficiency, stability and bio-safety is the core of photocatalytic applications. Herein, we report a facile approach to synthesize monazite BiPO4 (SHTW) with high crystallization and hydroxylation. The wide bandgap of the SHTW can provide strong redox abilities to produce reactive species and mineralize organic pollutants. Its high crystallinity and dipole moment can promote separation and transportation of the photoexcited electron-hole pairs effectively. In addition, the hydroxylation can produce more highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals and further improve charge carrier separation. Notably, the hydroxylation can be reborn and the high crystallization can be maintained during photocatalysis. Thus, a virtuous cycle can be established and organic pollutants can be removed efficiently. The mineralization rate of 146.1 µmol g-1 h-1 can be obtained on the SHTW for photocatalytic degradation of benzene, which is about 8.5 times higher than that of the commercial TiO2 (P25). Various dyes, dyes mixture and bisphenol A can all be completely degraded over the SHTW. It shows the potential application and value in environmental governance.

Role of Transient Anions in Chemoradiation Therapy: Base Modifications, Cross-Links, and Cluster Damages Induced to Cisplatin-DNA Complexes by 1-20 eV Electrons.

The molecular mechanism of platinum-based drugs in concomitant chemoradiation therapy relies on enhancement of DNA damage in cancer cells, particularly that of detrimental clustered lesions and cross-links induced by the abundant low-energy electrons (LEEs) generated by ionizing radiation. We provide the complete 1-20 eV electron-energy dependence of the yields of all conformational LEE-induced lesions to biological DNA, when it binds to five molecules of the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin. Recording at 1 eV intervals clearly show that the enhancement of all lesions is particularly intense at the energies of core-excited transient molecular anions (i.e., TMAs at 5, 6, and 10 eV). New TMAs are observed at 14 and 18 eV, only in yield functions of cisplatin-DNA complexes. Enhancements of all lesions by cisplatin are quantified over the 1-20 eV range, where maxima appear at 14 and 18 eV. The most detrimental lesions to cell survival exhibit the highest enhancements by factors of 2-3. Whereas no cluster lesions are induced by electrons of energy <5 eV in DNA, LEEs of any energy cause clustered damages in the complex. These results confirm the current notion that LEEs and TMAs play a dominant role in the molecular mechanism of platinum-drug chemoradiation therapy.

Transient axonal glycoprotein-1 induces apoptosis-related gene expression without triggering apoptosis in U251 glioma cells.

Previous studies show that transient axonal glycoprotein-1, a ligand of amyloid precursor protein, increases the secretion of amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain and is involved in apoptosis in Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we examined the effects of transient axonal glycoprotein-1 on U251 glioma cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that transient axonal glycoprotein-1 did not inhibit the proliferation of U251 cells, but promoted cell viability. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay showed that transient axonal glycoprotein-1 did not induce U251 cell apoptosis. Real-time PCR revealed that transient axonal glycoprotein-1 substantially upregulated levels of amyloid precursor protein intracellular C-terminal domain, and p53 and epidermal growth factor receptor mRNA expression. Thus, transient axonal glycoprotein-1 increased apoptosis-related gene expression in U251 cells without inducing apoptosis. Instead, transient axonal glycoprotein-1 promoted the proliferation of these glioma cells.