Evaluation of the causal effects of immune cells on ischemic stroke: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a cerebrovascular disease caused by various factors, and its etiology remains inadequately understood. The role of immune system dysfunction in IS has been increasingly recognized. Our objective was to evaluate whether circulating immune cells causally impact IS risk. Methods: We conducted two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to evaluate the causal effects of 731 immune cell traits on IS, utilizing publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics for 731 immune cell traits as exposure data, and two GWAS statistics for IS as outcome data. A set of sensitivity analyses, including Cochran's Q test, I 2 statistics, MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO global test, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses, were performed to assess the robustness of the results. Additionally, meta-analyses were conducted to combine the results from the two different IS datasets. Finally, we extracted instrumental variables of immune cell traits with causal effects on IS in both IS datasets for SNP annotation. Results: A total of 41 and 35 immune cell traits were identified to have significant causal effects on IS based on two different IS datasets, respectively. Among them, the immune cell trait CD62L- plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell AC and CD4+ CD8dim T cell%leukocyte respectively served as risk factor and protective element in both IS datasets. The robustness of the causal effects was confirmed through the sensitivity analyses. The results of the meta-analyses further support the causal effects of CD62L- plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell AC (pooled OR=1.030, 95%CI: 1.011-1.049, P=0.002) and CD4+ CD8dim T cell%leukocyte (pooled OR=0.959, 95%CI: 0.935-0.984, P=0.001). Based on these two immune cell traits, 33 genes that may be related to the causal effects were mapped. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the potential causal effects of circulating immune cells on IS, providing valuable insights for future studies aimed at preventing IS.

Association between stress hyperglycemia ratio and prognosis in acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Stress hyperglycemia is a relatively transient increase in blood glucose in response to inflammation of the body and neurohormonal disorders. It is still debated whether stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) in the acute phase, a new indicator of stress hyperglycemia, is related to poor prognosis in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. This meta-analysis provides insight into the connection between SHR and prognosis in AIS patients. METHODS: We screened all potentially relevant studies using a comprehensive database search. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were utilized to investigate the relationship between SHR in the acute phase and the prognosis of AIS. RESULTS: The pooled results revealed that AIS patients with poor prognoses had significantly higher SHR values than those with good prognoses (SMD = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.37-0.75, p<0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated that study design and differences in post-stroke treatment might be the sources of heterogeneity in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: High SHR in the acute period is related to poor prognosis after AIS. SHR may be a new predictor of poor outcomes in AIS patients.

Effects of high-pressure processing on the physicochemical and adsorption properties, structural characteristics, and dietary fiber content of kelp (Laminaria japonica).

To investigate the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) on the physicochemical and adsorption properties and structural characteristics of kelp, kelp slice (KS) and kelp powder (KP) were treated under different pressures (300, 450, and 600 MPa) for 5 and 10 min. Compared to untreated KP, HPP-treated KP yielded a 1.31-fold increase in water holding capacity (600 MPa/5 min), a 0.12-fold increase in swelling capacity (450 MPa/10 min), a 1.33-fold increase in oil holding capacity (600 MPa/10 min), a 10-fold increase in glucose adsorption capacity (450 MPa/10 min), and a 0.22-fold increase in cholesterol adsorption capacity (163.1 mg/g DW at 450 MPa/10 min), and exhibited good Cd (Ⅱ) adsorption capacity when its concentration was 10 mmol/L in the small intestine. The physicochemical properties of HPP-treated KS were not improved due to its low specific surface area. In addition, HPP treatment efficiently reduced the particle size of KP and increased its total and soluble dietary fiber content by 17% and 63% at 600 MPa/10 min, respectively. Scanning electron microscope micrographs demonstrated that the surface of HPP-treated KP was rough and porous, and the specific surface area increased with increasing pressure and processing time. To conclude, the results obtained in the present study suggest that HPP is a promising processing method for improving the functionality and structural characteristics of KP and provide a theoretical basis for the utilization of HPP-treated KP as a fiber-rich ingredient in the functional food industry.

Biological analysis of the potential pathogenic mechanisms of Infectious COVID-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a medical condition characterized by the immune system of the body attacking the peripheral nerves, including those in the spinal nerve roots, peripheral nerves, and cranial nerves. It can cause limb weakness, abnormal sensations, and facial nerve paralysis. Some studies have reported clinical cases associated with the severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and GBS, but how COVID-19 affects GBS is unclear. Methods: We utilized bioinformatics techniques to explore the potential genetic connection between COVID-19 and GBS. Differential expression of genes (DEGs) related to COVID-19 and GBS was collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. By taking the intersection, we obtained shared DEGs for COVID-19 and GBS. Subsequently, we utilized bioinformatics analysis tools to analyze common DEGs, conducting functional enrichment analysis and constructing Protein-protein interaction networks (PPI), Transcription factors (TF) -gene networks, and TF-miRNA networks. Finally, we validated our findings by constructing the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: This study utilizes bioinformatics tools for the first time to investigate the close genetic relationship between COVID-19 and GBS. CAMP, LTF, DEFA1B, SAMD9, GBP1, DDX60, DEFA4, and OAS3 are identified as the most significant interacting genes between COVID-19 and GBS. In addition, the signaling pathway of NOD-like receptors is believed to be essential in the link between COVID-19 and GBS.

Antibacterial activity and improvement of the oxidative stability of soybean oil by 4-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate from white mustard seeds.

4-Hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate (4-HBITC) is one of the most important secondary metabolite products in white mustard seeds. The antibacterial activity and inhibition of lipid oxidation of 4-HBITC were investigated. The results indicated that 4-HBITC had a significant antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium, and its effect on gram-positive bacteria was superior to that on gram-negative bacteria. The combination of 4-HBITC with citric acid or ascorbic acid had a better antibacterial effect than adding them alone. The antibacterial mechanism of 4-HBITC to affect the metabolic activity rather than the integrity or the permeability of cell membranes was identified. In addition, white mustard seed extract which contains 4-HBITC was found to extend the oxidative stability of soybean oil, and this effect was also improved after the combination of 4-HBITC with citric acid. These results indicated that 4-HBITC and white mustard seed extract have potential for application as a natural preservatives in food and for improving the oxidative stability of edible oils.

Research landscape and trends of cerebral amyloid angiopathy: a 25-year scientometric analysis.

Background: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a cerebral small vessel disease affecting leptomeningeal and cortical small blood vessels, is a common cause of spontaneous lobar intracerebral hemorrhage and cognitive impairment, particularly in elderly patients. This study aims to investigate the field of CAA research from a scientometric perspective. Methods: Publications related to CAA from January 1st, 1999 to September 29th, 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The scientometric software VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze and visualize the publication trends, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, cited references, and keywords of CAA. Results: A total of 2,798 publications related to CAA from 73 countries/regions, led by the United States, were included. The number of publications showed an increasing trend over time. Massachusetts General Hospital was the most productive institution, and authors Greenberg and Charidimou published the most papers and were most frequently co-cited. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease was the most prolific journal in this field, and Neurology was the most co-cited journal. Apart from "cerebral amyloid angiopathy", the most frequently used keywords were "Alzheimer's disease", "amyloid beta", "intracerebral hemorrhage", and "dementia". The burst keywords in recent years included "cortical superficial siderosis" and "dysfunction". Conclusions: This scientometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of CAA research over the past 25 years, and offers important insights for future research directions and scientific decision-making in this field.

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants for binge eating disorder: A network meta-analysis.

Background: There are several selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants currently used to treat binge eating disorder (BED), but the efficacy and acceptability of these antidepressants are still controversial. Therefore, we designed a network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and acceptability of different SSRI antidepressants for the treatment of BED. Methods: Four databases including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically searched for the eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the treatment of patients with BED. The analysis was performed with Stata16 software. Results: 9 RCTs were included in this NMA. The results of the study showed that compared with placebo, sertraline and fluoxetine could significantly reduce the frequency of binge eating. Fluoxetine was shown to be the drug with the greatest reduction in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) score. Besides, all SSRI antidepressants were ineffective in losing weight. In addition, all the investigated antidepressants were found to be well acceptable in regards to the acceptability reflected by the dropout rate. Conclusion: As far as both efficacy and acceptability were concerned, fluoxetine might be the best choice.

Optimization of calcium pectinate gel production from high methoxyl pectin.

BACKGROUND: Calcium pectinate (CaP) gel is traditionally prepared by de-esterifying high methoxyl pectin (HMP) to low methoxyl pectin (LMP), followed by gelation with calcium. To save both time and cost in the production of CaP gel, an alternative method was developed by the addition of CaCl2 to HMP at alkaline pH. To optimize the production, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the effects of temperature (30-50 °C), time (20-40 min) and pH (8-10) on yield, calcium content of the CaP gel and the degree of esterification (DE) of pectin following decalcification of CaP (DC-pectin). RESULTS: The linear term for pH had a significant effect (P < 0.01) on all three responses, whereas interaction effects were not significant (P > 0.01), except on the calcium content (P < 0.01). The optimized process conditions (temperature, time and pH) to obtain maximum CaP-HMP gel yield (88.83%) were 50 °C, 40 min and pH 9.6, and for the highest calcium content (97.23 mg g-1 ) they were 40 °C, 30 min and pH 9.7. DC-pectin was a typical LMP with DE varying from 26.92% to 50.33%. The DE of DC-pectin could be predicted by a model that proved significant (R2  = 0.9888). CONCLUSION: The optimum conditions were established to produce CaP gels from HMP with high yield and calcium content. Also, LMP with predictable DE can be produced following a significant model. This study provides new insights into the production and application of CaP gel. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Emulsion Particle Size on the Encapsulation Behavior and Oxidative Stability of Spray Microencapsulated Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus aurantium var. dulcis).

Three different feed emulsions of different particle sizes were mixed with a modified starch and maltodextrin and spray dried to make a large (LP), small (SP), and nano-size encapsulated powder (NP), respectively. Emulsion size, oil content, loading capacity (LC), encapsulation efficiency (EE), water content, aw, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), glass transition temperature (Tg), as well as d-limonene release characteristic and limonene oxide formation rate during 37 °C and various aw storage were determined. With the increase of the feed emulsion size, the reconstituted emulsion size of the LP tended to increase and change to a bimodal distribution. The surface oil content increased with the increasing size of the reconstituted emulsion, and the opposite was true for EE. The smaller the reconstituted emulsion size, the higher Tg during a low aw condition. The Tg of the LP, SP and NP were 62, 88, and 100 °C, respectively, and NP > SP > LP. The release and the oxidative rate of d-limonene was the lowest for the NP and then increased for the SP and LP. The release and oxidative rates increased with the elevation of aw and peaked at 0.33. The powder surface morphological structure was intact, the spray-dried powder was more stable, and microstructure changed from a glass state to a rubbery state during storage.

Determination of Kaurenoic Acid in Acanthopanax trifoliatus by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS).

Acanthopanax trifoliatus (L.) Merr. (A. trifoliatus) belongs to the family Araliaceae, which is called "Le Cai", and is an indigenous plant to Guangdong Province that has been prevalently planted for years. A. trifoliatus is used in folk medicine and has ginseng-like activity. Kaurenoic acid ((-)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, KA) is a kaurane-type diterpenoid that is regarded as a major compound in A. trifoliatus. Early studies have reported the determination of KA by HPLC capillary electrophoresis. However, KA could not be completely separated from other components in the plant extract by HPLC because of their similar molecular structures and physical and chemical properties. UHPLC-MS/MS could be a useful tool to identify and quantify KA. In the present work, a UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for determining KA in A. trifoliatus was developed and validated. KA was extracted from lyophilized A. trifoliatus leaves by ultrasound-assisted extraction and further purified by solid phase extraction (SPE). KA was quantified and separated on an Accucore C18 LC column. Mass spectrometry with multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) and quantitative fragment ion/product ion (m/z: 301.3/301.3) in ESI negative mode was used for quantification. The intra-assay and inter-assay relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) were 2.8% and 3.2%, respectively. The inter-person R.S.D. on the same day was 3.6%. The inter-instrument R.S.D. with the same model on the same day was 2.9%. The recoveries evaluated upon spiking three different concentrations of KA were above 97%. A minor matrix effect of 94% was observed. This method has been applied successfully for the determination of KA in A. trifoliatus leaves.

Quantification of polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, monoglutamyl folate vitamers, and total folates in different berries and berry juice by UHPLC-MS/MS.

Edible berries are good sources of several phytochemicals. However, the native folate levels in berries are not well known. The structure of native folates contains polyglutamyl chains, which reportedly jeopardize the bioavailability of native folates; further γ-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH) can deglutamylate polyglutamyl chains. In this study we use a validated ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method to determine the distribution of polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3THF-Glun), folate vitamers, and total folates in different berries and to monitor changes in their concentration during processing of berries into juice. The pre-boiling treatment was optimized during extraction to stabilize the native polyglutamyl folates profile and facilitate folate extraction, which can replace the traditional di-enzyme treatment process. Additionally, the efficiency of commercially available human recombinant GGH was tested and it was found that a 10 µg GGH/mL extract at a pH of 6 could completely deconjugate polyglutamyl folates into monoglutamyl folates when incubated for 30 min. Pure human recombinant GGH with a higher catalytic efficiency and stable enzymatic properties was better than traditional folate conjugase for this purpose. From experimental analysis, it could be inferred that strawberries and blackberries contained the highest amount of total folates (93-118 µg/100 g), while the total folate contents in blueberries were the lowest. Most of the investigated berries are good to excellent folate sources. This study is the first time that 5-CH3THF-Glun and distribution of folate vitamers in various berries are quantitated. Further, this is the first study to show the application of recombinant pure GGH for the deconjugation of polyglutamyl folates for folate vitamers and total folates analysis.

High pressure processing and post-high pressure storage induce the change of polyglutamyl folate and total folate from different legumes.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) and post-HPP cold storage on the distribution of polyglutamyl and monoglutamyl folate and the absolute concentration of total folate in green beans, yardlong beans and winged beans using a validated ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. The results showed that HPP led to the deglutamylation of polyglutamyl folate to monoglutamyl folate in all of the investigated beans. The degree of deglutamylation was increased with enhancing processing pressure and extending holding time. During HPP, significant loss of total folate was observed under 600 MPa/10 min treatment. Uniquely 300 MPa/5 min and 450 MPa/5 min could significantly release more folate from yardlong beans and green beans matrix. During the following cold-storage, the deglutamylation keep progressing. For those untreated beans, no significant deglutamylation and total folate loss was observed during cold storage for yardlong beans and green beans while there is slight change for the total folate in winged beans. For those HPP treated beans, total folate loss followed the first order kinetics over the storage. The rate constant of degradation was positively proportional to the applied pressure, holding time and the proportion of monoglutamyl folate. This research provided a reference for understanding the deglutamylation of polyglutamyl folate and folate loss during HPP treatment and further shelf life.

Quantification of Total Folate, Folate Species and Polyglutamyl Folate Distribution in Winged Beans (Psophocarus tetragonolobus (L) DC) from Different Cultivars and Growth Stages by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Winged beans are an important natural source of some micronutrients. This paper presents the first complete characterization of folate derivatives including polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3-H4PteGlun), folate species and total folate accumulating in pods and immature seeds of winged beans from 9 cultivars and 7 growth stages. 5-CH3-H4PteGlun and folate species were determined with a UHPLC-MS/MS method. Accurate determination of 5-CH3-H4PteGlun and folate species was optimized and validated according to EMA guidelines including method selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, matrix effect and carry-over. The level of total folate is in the range of 73-200 µg/100 g in the pods and 33-61 µg/100 g in the immature seeds. The predominant folate species in winged beans is 5-CH3-H4PteGlu1. 5-CH3-H4PteGlu5 is the major polyglutamyl folate derivative. The level of total folate is increased about 4 fold with advancing maturity. For pods, the chain length is increased with growth which shifts from 5-CH3-H4PteGlu1 in the early stage to 5-CH3-H4PteGlu5 and 5-CH3-H4PteGlu6 in the 7th stage. Our findings demonstrate that winged beans are good source of folate. The validated UHPLC-MS/MS method allows for the determination of 5-CH3-H4PteGlun and folate species from other vegetable matrices.

Assessment of microwave cooking on the bioaccessibility of cadmium from various food matrices using an in vitro digestion model.

Bioaccessibility represents the maximum amount of pollutant ingested with food that is available for intestinal absorption. The measurement of bioaccessibility can achieve a more accurate risk assessment. Thus, in this study, the bioaccessibility of raw/microwave-cooked store-bought food including carrot, potato, white radish, lotus root, sweet corn, long grain rice, soybean, fleshy prawn, eastern oyster, kelp, and common carp were investigated by applying an in vitro digestion method. A validated microwave digestion/ICP-MS method was applied for determining the concentration of Cd. In this study, the concentration of Cd ranged 3.7-215.8 µg/kg fw in which carrot contained the lowest Cd while the fleshy prawn contained the highest Cd. There are no statistical differences of Cd content in microwave-cooked food and raw food except potato, lotus root, and eastern oyster. Cd in most of the cooked food materials was less bioaccessible than in raw food except sweet corn, potato, and kelp. The bioaccessibility of Cd was around 100 % in either raw or cooked potatoes. Microwave cooking caused the decreasing of bioaccessibility around 0-68 %, depending on different food matrix. Maximal decreasing of Cd bioaccessibility occurred in common carp. Thus, microwave cooking could be a feasible strategy for decreasing Cd bioaccessibility. In addition, the Cd dissolution in oral, gastric, and small intestine phase was different in different food matrix. For most of the investigated food items, Cd was largely migrated either into the oral phase (carrot, potato, white radish, lotus root, raw soybean, kelp, and common carp) or into the gastric phase (sweet corn, cooked soybean, rice, fleshy prawn, and eastern oyster). Our findings will have significant implications for food processing aiming to decrease the absorption of Cd and risk assessment analysis improvements. Further study is needed to use the animal model to validate these results.

Characteristics of two calcium pectinates prepared from citrus pectin using either calcium chloride or calcium hydroxide.

Calcium pectinate (CaP) was prepared from citrus pectin using either calcium chloride (C-CaP) or calcium hydroxide (HO-CaP) as the source of calcium for the reaction. The production yields and the rates of decalcification for the two calcium pectinates were compared and both found to be lower for C-CaP than for HO-CaP. In an attempt to explain these differences, certain chemical and structural characteristics of the two products, including functional groups (-CH3, C═O, COO-), rheological properties, morphology, and egg-box junction zones, were investigated by Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, rheology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results from FTIR showed that, with an increase in calcium content, the wavenumber values and peak areas of FTIR for -CH3, C═O, and COO- groups all changed dramatically for C-CaP, while they were virtually unchanged for HO-CaP. Rheological analysis of the CaP gel showed that C-CaP had a stronger cross-linked network structure and a greater range of elastic behavior as compared to HO-CaP. SEM images of two CaP gels showed irregular membranes. C-CaP maintained a tight structure and a smooth surface, whereas HO-CaP was loose and rough. The results from XRD revealed a higher degree of crystallinity within C-CaP than within HO-CaP, which indicated that C-CaP possessed compact, ordered, and stable egg-box junction zones while the junction zones in HO-CaP were metastable and loose.