Novel 15N Metabolic Labeling-Based Large-Scale Absolute Quantitative Proteomics Method for Corynebacterium glutamicum.

With fast growth, synthetic biology powers us with the capability to produce high commercial value products in an efficient resource/energy-consuming manner. Comprehensive knowledge of the protein regulatory network of a bacterial host chassis, e.g., the actual amount of the given proteins, is the key to building cell factories for certain target hyperproduction. Many talent methods have been introduced for absolute quantitative proteomics. However, for most cases, a set of reference peptides with isotopic labeling (e.g., SIL, AQUA, QconCAT) or a set of reference proteins (e.g., commercial UPS2 kit) needs to be prepared. The higher cost hinders these methods for large sample research. In this work, we proposed a novel metabolic labeling-based absolute quantification approach (termed nMAQ). The reference Corynebacterium glutamicum strain is metabolically labeled with 15N, and a set of endogenous anchor proteins of the reference proteome is quantified by chemically synthesized light (14N) peptides. The prequantified reference proteome was then utilized as an internal standard (IS) and spiked into the target (14N) samples. SWATH-MS analysis is performed to obtain the absolute expression levels of the proteins from the target cells. The cost for nMAQ is estimated to be less than 10 dollars per sample. We have benchmarked the quantitative performance of the novel method. We believe this method will help with the deep understanding of the intrinsic regulatory mechanism of C. glutamicum during bioengineering and will promote the process of building cell factories for synthetic biology.

The Agonist of Adenosine A1 Receptor Induced Desensitization of delta Opioid receptor-mediated Raf-1/MEK/ERK Signaling by Feedback Phosphorylation of Raf-1-Ser289/296/301.

Our previous study found that activation of adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) induced phosphorylation of delta opioid receptor (DOR) and desensitization of its downstream signaling molecules, cAMP and Akt. To further investigate the effect of A1R agonist on DOR signaling and the underlying mechanism, we examined the effect of A1R activation upon binding of its agonist N6-cyclohexyl-adenosine (CHA) on DOR-mediated Raf-1/MEK/ERK activation, and found that prolonged CHA exposure resulted in downregulation of DOR-mediated Raf-1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. CHA-treatment time dependently attenuated Raf-1-Ser338 phosphorylation induced by [D-Pen2,5] enkephalin (DPDPE), a specific agonist of DOR, and further caused downregulation of the Raf-1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway activated by DOR agonist. Moreover, CHA exposure time-dependently induced the phosphorylation of Raf-1-Ser289/296/301, the inhibitory phosphorylation sites that were regulated by negative feedback, thereby inhibiting activation of the MEK/ERK pathway, and this effect could be blocked by MEK inhibitor U0126. Finally, we proved that the heterologous desensitization of the Raf-1/MEK/ERK cascade was essential in the regulation of anti-nociceptive effect of DOR agonists by confirming that such effect was inhibited by pretreatment of CHA. Therefore, we conclude that the activation of A1R inhibits DOR-mediated MAPK signaling pathway via heterologous desensitization of the Raf-1/MEK/ERK cascade, which is a result of ERK-mediated Raf-1-Ser289/296/301 phosphorylation mediated by activation of A1R.

A Caffeic Acid Matrix Improves In Situ Detection and Imaging of Proteins with High Molecular Weight Close to 200,000 Da in Tissues by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

To our knowledge, this was the first study in which caffeic acid (CA) was successfully evaluated as a matrix to enhance the in situ detection and imaging of endogenous proteins in three biological tissue sections (i.e., a rat brain and Capparis masaikai and germinating soybean seeds) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). Our results show several properties of CA, including strong ultraviolet absorption, a super-wide MS detection mass range close to 200,000 Da, micrometer-sized matrix crystals, uniform matrix deposition, and high ionization efficiency. More high-molecular-weight (HMW) protein ion signals (m/z > 30,000) could be clearly detected in biological tissues with the use of CA, compared to two commonly used MALDI matrices, i.e., sinapinic acid (SA) and ferulic acid (FA). Notably, CA shows excellent performance for HMW protein in situ detection from biological tissues in the mass range m/z > 80,000, compared to the use of SA and FA. Furthermore, the use of a CA matrix also significantly enhanced the imaging of proteins on the surface of selected biological tissue sections. Three HMW protein ion signals (m/z 50,419, m/z 65,874, and m/z 191,872) from a rat brain, two sweet proteins (mabinlin-2 and mabinlin-4) from a Capparis masaikai seed, and three HMW protein ion signals (m/z 94,838, m/z 134,204, and m/z 198,738) from a germinating soybean seed were successfully imaged for the first time. Our study proves that CA has the potential to become a standard organic acid matrix for enhanced tissue imaging of HMW proteins by MALDI-MSI in both animal and plant tissues.

Early menarche is associated with insulin resistance in advanced maternal age before delivery.

Purpose: With the wide implementation of the universal two-child policy in China, the number of pregnant women in advanced maternal age (AMA) will increase gradually. We aimed to assess the association between age at menarche (AAM) and insulin resistance (IR) before delivery in AMA. Methods: A total of 80 pregnant women in AMA were consecutively enrolled before delivery in Zhongda hospital. Pregnant women were stratified into early menarche group and late menarche group according to the age of regular menstruation (about 13 years). At delivery, serum glucose and lipid levels were measured. IR was calculated by the method of homeostasis model assessment 2(HOMA2). Results: The fasting blood insulin (17.68(9.72-36.71) and 10.35(7.76-15.10), respectively; p = .006) and HOMA-IR (2.08(1.18-4.37) and 1.24(0.89-1.78), respectively; p = .005) were higher in early menarche group than in late menarche group. AAM was inversely associated with HOMA-IR in AMA (r= -0.27, p = .014). In the multivariable analysis, AAM in late menarche group was negatively related to the level of HOMA-IR compared to those in early menarche group (ß= -2.275, p≤.0001). Conclusions: Taken together, our findings suggest that AAM was inversely associated with HOMA-IR in AMA. Furthermore, pregnant women in AMA with early menarche might have higher HOMA-IR levels than those with late menarche. Clinical trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR-RRC-16008714), retrospectively registered.

3,4-Dimethoxycinnamic Acid as a Novel Matrix for Enhanced In Situ Detection and Imaging of Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds in Biological Tissues by MALDI-MSI.

Low-molecular-weight (low-MW) compounds have many essential functions in biological processes, and the molecular imaging of as many low-MW compounds as possible is critical for understanding complex biological processes. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is an emerging molecular-imaging technology that enables determination of the spatial distributions and the relative abundances of diverse endogenous compounds in tissues. New matrices suitable for the imaging of low-MW compounds by MALDI-MSI are important for the technological advancement of tissue imaging. In this study, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid (DMCA) was evaluated as a new matrix for enhanced low-MW compound detection by MALDI-MSI because of its strong ultraviolet absorption, low matrix-ion related interferences below m/ z 500, and high ionization efficiency for the analysis of low-MW compounds. DMCA was successfully used for improved in situ detection of low-molecular-weight metabolites ( m/ z < 500) and lipids in rat liver, rat brain, and germinating Chinese-yew seed tissue sections. The use of DMCA led to the successful in situ detection of 303, 200, and 248 low-MW compound ion signals from these three tissues, respectively. Both MALDI-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS were used to identify these ion signals, leading to the identification of 115 low-MW compounds from rat liver (including 53 lipids, 29 oligopeptides, and 33 metabolites), 130 low-MW compounds from rat brain (including 104 lipids, 5 oligopeptides, and 21 metabolites), and 111 low-MW compounds from germinating Chinese-yew seeds (including 77 lipids, 22 oligopeptides, 8 flavonoids, and 4 alkaloids). A larger number of low-MW compounds could be detected and imaged when DMCA was used as the MALDI matrix than with other commonly used MALDI matrices such as 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, graphene oxide, and silver nanoparticles. Our work provides a new and powerful matrix for enhanced MALDI-MS profiling of low-MW compounds in both animal and plant tissues.

The relationship between vitamin D and insulin resistance before delivery in advanced maternal age.

BACKGROUND: With the widely implementation of universal two-child policy, the number of pregnant women in advanced maternal age (AMA) will increase gradually. We aimed to assess the association of vitamin D levels and insulin resistance (IR) during the late pregnancy in AMA. METHODS: A total of 80 pregnant women were consecutively enrolled in the cross-sectional study before delivery from the August 2016 to June 2017 at the department of gynecology and obstetrics in the hospital of ZhongDa, affiliated to Southeast University. At delivery, serum 25(OH) D and metabolism parameters including glucose and lipid levels were measured. IR was calculated by the method of homeostasis model assessment 2(HOMA2). RESULTS: Pregnant women in AMA with vitamin D deficiency have higher fasting insulin (14.70(8.76-34.65) and 10.89(7.15-16.12), respectively, P = 0.031) and HOMA-IR indices (1.78(1.07-4.14) and 1.30(0.83-1.89), respectively, P = 0.024) than those with vitamin D non-deficiency. Serum 25(OH) D levels were inversely associated with HOMA-IR indices (r = - 0.25, P = 0.025). In multivariable analysis for adjusting confounder factors, vitamin D non-deficiency was also negatively correlated with HOMA-IR compared to vitamin D deficiency (ß = - 1.289, P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings suggest that serum 25(OH) D levels were inversely associated with HOMA-IR in AMA. Furthermore, pregnant women in AMA with vitamin D deficiency might have higher HOMA-IR levels than those with vitamin D non-deficiency. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR-RRC-16008714). retrospectively registered.

Vitamin B6 Intake and Pancreatic Carcinoma Risk: A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: There are conflicting results for the association between vitamin B6 intake with reduced pancreatic carcinoma risk. Thus, a meta-analysis was performed to summarize the evidences from epidemiological studies. Methods: We searched documents from PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The results were analyzed by using Stata software. Results: A total of nine studies were included. The multivariate-adjusted results found that the total RR values of pancreatic carcinoma was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53-0.80) for the highest vitamin B6 intake vs the lowest vitamin B6 intake, and there was no significant heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 42.0%, P = 0.087). Sensitivity analysis indicated that no single study leaded to an excessive change for the relation between vitamin B6 intake and pancreatic carcinoma risk. Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggested that vitamin B6 intake could significantly decrease pancreatic carcinoma risk. However, further study is needed based on the limitations of the current analysis.

Serum carbohydrate antigen 153 and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate the correlation between serum carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153) and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A total of 184 patients with T2DM were included, and renal function was assessed by the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula adjusted coefficient of the Chinese people. RESULTS: Serum CA153 concentrations were positively correlated with blood glucose (BG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = .204, P = .005; r = .165, P = .025) in patients with T2DM. There was a negative correlation between serum CA153 and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (r = -.229, P = .002) in whole patients with T2DM; similarly, the correlations were observed in both women and men (r = -.228, P = .028 for women, r = -.231, P = .028 for men). Multiple linear regression analysis suggested that serum CA153 was still significantly correlated with estimated GFR (beta = -0.286, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum CA153 is negatively correlated with estimated GFR in patients with T2DM, and serum CA153 may be a potentially useful clinical biomarker to assess renal function in the study population.

Recent advances in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) for in situ analysis of endogenous molecules in plants.

INTRODUCTION: Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) as a label-free and powerful imaging technique enables in situ evaluation of a tissue metabolome and/or proteome, becoming increasingly popular in the detection of plant endogenous molecules. OBJECTIVE: The characterisation of structure and spatial information of endogenous molecules in plants are both very important aspects to better understand the physiological mechanism of plant organism. METHODS: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a commonly-used tissue imaging technique, which requires matrix to assist in situ detection of a variety of molecules on the surface of a tissue section. In previous studies, MALDI-MSI was mostly used for the detection of molecules from animal tissue sections, compared to plant samples due to cell structural limitations, such as plant cuticles, epicuticular waxes, and cell walls. Despite the enormous progress that has been made in tissue imaging, there is still a challenge for MALDI-MSI suitable for the imaging of endogenous compounds in plants. RESULTS: This review summarises the recent advances in MALDI-MSI, focusing on the application of in situ detection of endogenous molecules in different plant organs, i.e. root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, and seed. CONCLUSION: Further improvements on instrumentation sensitivity, matrix selection, image processing and sample preparation will expand the application of MALDI-MSI in plant research.

Periodic imidazolium-bridged hybrid monolith for high-efficiency capillary liquid chromatography with enhanced selectivity.

A novel periodic imidazolium-bridged hybrid monolithic column was developed. With diene imidazolium ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide as both cross-linker and organic functionalized reagent, a new periodic imidazolium-bridged hybrid monolithic column was facilely prepared in capillary with homogeneously distributed cationic imidazolium by a one-step free-radical polymerization with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane methacryl substituted. The successful preparation of the new column was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, and surface area analysis. Most interestingly, the bonded amount of 1-allyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide of the new column is three times higher than that of the conventional imidazolium-embedded hybrid monolithic column and the specific surface area of the column reached 478 m2 /g. The new column exhibited high stability, excellent separation efficiency, and enhanced separation selectivity. The column efficiency reached 151 000 plates/m for alkylbenzenes. Furthermore, the new column was successfully used for separation of highly polar nucleosides and nucleic acid bases with pure water as mobile phase and even bovine serum albumin tryptic digest. All these results demonstrate the periodic imidazolium-bridged hybrid monolithic column is a good separation media and can be used for chromatographic separation of small molecules and complex biological samples with high efficiency.

Application of telemedicine system for older adults postoperative patients in community: a feasibility study.

Purpose: In response to the growing challenges posed by an aging society, a telemedicine system was developed specifically for older adults postoperative patients, and its effectiveness was thoroughly investigated. Methods: Between May 2020 and May 2022, a total of 88 older adults postoperative patients were enrolled and randomly allocated into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received telemedicine services after discharge, while the control group received conventional medical services following the traditional protocol. One month after discharge, various indicators were evaluated for both groups, including number of visits, medical expenditures, postoperative recovery, anxiety, depression and satisfaction. Results: The number of visits and medical expenditures of the experimental group were less than those of the control group [1 (0, 1) vs. 1 (1, 2), Z = -3.977, p < 0.001; 25.25 (0.00, 277.40) yuan vs. 174.65 (49.63, 446.10) yuan, Z = -2.150, p = 0.032]. In both groups, there were 2 cases of incision infection, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the two groups (Fisher χ2, p = 0.259). In both groups, there was no instance of incision bleeding, incision dehiscence, readmission, or reoperation. Additionally, there was no significant difference in physical status between the two groups at discharge and after discharge (66.06 ± 8.92 vs. 65.45 ± 7.39 t = 0.287, p = 0.775; 73.33 ± 9.97 vs. 70.91 ± 7.50, t = 1.202, p = 0.235). And there was no significant difference in the change of physical status between the two groups after discharge [10.00 (0.00, 10.00) vs. 5.00 (0.00, 10.00), Z = -1.077, p = 0.281]. There was no significant difference in body weight change between the two groups after discharge [1.05 (0.38, 1.60) Kg vs. 0.80 (0.50, 1.43) Kg, Z = -0.265, p = 0.791]. There was no significant difference in the levels of anxiety and depression between the two groups at discharge (45.64 ± 8.10 vs. 44.60 ± 8.24, t = 0.520, p = 0.604, 48.33 ± 8.46 vs. 47.50 ± 6.85, t = 0.418, p = 0.677). But the levels of anxiety and depression in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group after discharge (34.92 ± 7.38 vs. 39.03 ± 8.42, t = -2.183, p = 0.032, 37.86 ± 7.29 vs. 41.93 ± 7.13, t = -2.281, p = 0.025); The change of anxiety level and depression level of the experimental group were more than those of the control group [-10.00 (-11.25, -8.75) vs. -5.00 (-7.81, -3.75), Z = -5.277, p < 0.001; -10.00 (-12.50, -7.50) vs. -5.00 (-7.75, -3.44), Z = -4.596, p < 0.001]. The level of satisfaction regarding medical services, daily care, and psychological comfort was higher in the experimental group compared to the control group [3 (3, 3.25) vs. 2 (1, 2), Z = -5.931, p < 0.001; 3 (3, 4) vs. 3 (2, 3), Z = -2.286, p = 0.022; 2 (1, 3) vs. 1 (0.75, 2), Z = -2.081, p = 0.037]. Conclusion: In the context of an aging society, telemedicine system can offer improved healthcare to older adults postoperative patients. This includes benefits such as reducing number of visits, saving medical expenditures, enhancing psychological comfort and daily care.

EMP1 as a Potential Biomarker in Liver Fibrosis: A Bioinformatics Analysis.

Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response to chronic injury, which may result in cirrhosis and liver failure. Studies have been carried on the mechanisms and pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. However, the potential cell-specific expressed marker genes involved in fibrotic processes remain unknown. In this study, we combined a publicly accessible single-cell transcriptome of human liver with microarray datasets to evaluate the cell-specific expression patterns of differentially expressed genes in the liver. We noticed that EMP1 (epithelial membrane protein 1) is significantly active not only in CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride)-treated mouse liver fibrosis but also in BDL (bile duct ligation)-induced liver fibrosis and even in human fibrotic liver tissues such as alcoholic hepatitis, NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), and advanced stage liver fibrosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that EMP1 is a specific fibrotic gene expressed in HSCs (hepatic stellate cells) and endothelial cells using the Protein Atlas single-cell transcriptome RNA-sequencing clustering. Its expression was significantly elevated in fibrotic HSCs or CCl4 and NASH-induced fibroblasts. Previous research revealed that EMP1 plays a role in proliferation, migration, metastasis, and tumorigeneses in different cancers via a variety of mechanisms. Because HSC activation and proliferation are two important steps following liver injury, it would be interesting to investigate the role of EMP1 in these processes. All of this information suggested that EMP1 could be used as a novel fibrotic liver marker and a possible target in the future.

Effect of gestational weight gain on insulin resistance mediated by serum adipokine concentrations in advanced maternal age.

INTRODUCTION: With the implementation of the universal two-child policy, the number of pregnant women of advanced maternal age (AMA) will increase steadily. We aimed to investigate whether the effect of gestational weight gain on insulin resistance (IR) before delivery was mediated by serum adipokine concentrations in AMA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 80 pregnant women of AMA recruited consecutively before delivery from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology between August 2016 and July 2017. At delivery, maternal weight during the third trimester was recorded and serum adipokines were measured. IR was calculated using the homeostasis model assessment 2 (HOMA2) method. RESULTS: Weight gain (WG) during the third trimester was positively associated with serum leptin concentrations (r = 0.34, p = 0.0018) and HOMA-IR indices (r = 0.25, p = 0.025), but not related with serum concentration of adiponectin (r = 0.12, p = 0.28). WG during the third trimester and serum concentration of leptin were independently associated with the level of HOMA-IR by multivariate analysis. Subsequently, according to mediation analysis, the association between WG during the third trimester and HOMA-IR mediated by serum leptin concentrations was statistically significant (z = 1.588, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings suggest that the relationship between WG during the third trimester and IR was mediated by serum leptin concentrations in AMA, but not serum adiponectin concentrations.

Characterization and Quantification of Luteolin-Metal Complexes in Aqueous Extract of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Huangshan Wild Chrysanthemum.

Luteolin is a flavonoid compound widely found in vegetables, fruits, and medicinal plants. In this study, the reaction conditions for luteolin and five metal ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+) to form complexes in hot water were optimized, which was at a molar ratio of 1 : 1 for luteolin and metal ions at 90°C in a volume of 20 mL for 2 h, and the ability of luteolin to form complexes with Cu2+ was the strongest. The DPPH scavenging test showed that luteolin exerted a dose-dependent effect on the clearance of free radicals; luteolin-Cu2+ complexes and luteolin-Fe3+ complexes accentuated the clearance of free radicals. Furthermore, we used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to analyze luteolin in samples from two medicinal plants, obtained from the dissolution of aqueous extracts in two different solvents. The results showed that the peak areas for luteolin in the samples dissolved in 20% formic acid-methanol were significantly larger than those from the samples dissolved in methanol alone, with increases in the peak area being 135.6% (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), and 161.16% (Huangshan wild chrysanthemum). The aforementioned results indicate that complexes formed from organic compounds and metal ions are present in the decoction of a plant.

The Dose-Response Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among Asian Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

The objective of this review was to provide a summary of the literature on the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Asian populations, particularly men. The present study was recorded in PROSPERO as CRD 42019121073. We searched the PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for studies published in any language since the database inception to January 2019. Prospective cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for random-effects models and dose-response meta-analyses. In total, 8 prospective cohort studies were included. High alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased risk of T2D (RR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.04-1.29; Q statistic p = 0.326) compared to the lowest category of alcohol intake. Nonlinear association was observed between alcohol consumption and T2D risk in men (p = 0.003). Dose-wise, consuming ≤57 g/day of alcohol was not associated with the risk of T2D in this study; however, alcohol intake >57 g/day was associated with increased risk of T2D in men. Overall, the association between alcohol consumption and T2D among Asian men was J-shaped. Lifestyle recommendations for prevention of T2D should include advice on limiting alcohol intake. This trial is registered with Prospero registration: CRD 42019121073.

The alterations of gut microbiota in mice with chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: The changes of intestinal microbiome are associated with inflammatory, metabolic, and malignant disorders, and there are no studies assessing the intestinal microbiota of mice with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Thus, we aim to investigate the variations in diversity, composition and function of intestinal microbiota in CP mice. METHODS: Sixteen male C57BL/6 mice were randomly selected, and divided into two groups, treated intraperitoneally with saline (normal control group, CT group) or ethanol + cerulein (experimental group, CP group) for 6 weeks. Body weight as measured in entire processes. Histopathological examination of CP index was conducted to verify the CP induction. Extracted DNA from colon samples was used for Illumina HiSeq sequencing of the bacterial V4 region of 16S rRNA gene and analyzed using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME). Functional profiling of microbial communities was predicted with BugBase. RESULTS: Significant alterations of the gut microbiota were found in the CP mice compared to CT groups, as revealed by significant decrease in bacterial richness and diversity, declined the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136, Ruminiclostridium and Roseburia, and increased the relative abundances of Bacteroides and Alloprevotella genera. Analysis of microbial community-level phenotypes revealed significant differences in nine phenotypes (aerobic, anaerobic, containing mobile elements, facultatively anaerobic, biofilm forming, gram-negative, gram-positive, potentially pathogenic, and stress tolerant) between CP group and CT group. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that mice with CP had a distinct microbiota profile.

Enhanced in situ detection and imaging of lipids in biological tissues by using 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone as a novel matrix for positive-ion MALDI-MS imaging.

A fluorescent dye, 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone (DCH), was optimized for use as a new matrix for positive-ion MALDI-MS imaging, and it provided enhanced lipid detection and imaging in biological tissues. The properties of DCH, include a strong ultraviolet absorption, low volatility in a high-vacuum (∼10-7 mbar) source, super chemical stability, µm-sized matrix crystals, uniform matrix deposition, and high ionization efficiency for the detection of lipids.

Association of Serum PSP/REG Iα with Renal Function in Pregnant Women.

Pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein Iα (PSP/REG Iα) is a secretory protein produced in the pancreas, but its expression has also been observed in the kidney. It may be associated with kidney dysfunction. This study investigates the possible association between PSP/REG Iα and kidney function in pregnant women. Serum PSP/REG Iα levels were measured by a specific ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Maternal information and clinical and biochemical parameters were collected. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated for all individuals to evaluate their renal function. Spearman's correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between PSP/REG Iα and eGFR, serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA). A total of 595 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Participants with mildly reduced eGFR had higher PSP/REG Iα levels [50.49 (35.02, 58.64)] than in the general population [26.84 (21.02, 33.07)] (p < 0.001). Included participants were stratified into PSP/REG Iα quartiles; significant differences were observed in the levels of eGFR, serum Cr, BUN, and UA. PSP/REG Iα was negatively correlated with eGFR (r = -0.402, p < 0.001) and positively associated with serum Cr (r = 0.468, p < 0.001), BUN (r = 0.166, p < 0.001), and UA (r = 0.207, p < 0.001). The linear regression analysis indicated that PSP/REG Iα was associated with UA, BUN, and eGFR. High PSP/REG Iα concentrations were closely associated with renal dysfunction in pregnant women. Our study provides clinical evidence that serum PSP/REG Iα levels could be a novel biomarker for assessment of renal function in pregnant women.

Probiotics improve glucose and lipid metabolism in pregnant women: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the effects of probiotic supplementation on the maternal metabolism and the risk of development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the pregnant women by a meta-analysis of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: The medical literature was searched from PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library since inception to October 2017. Two investigators independently performed the data extraction and quality assessment. The mean differences (MD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) or relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with the random-effects model. RESULTS: From 648 citations, a total of ten RCTs published in 13 articles with 1,139 participants met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that probiotics supplementation effectively reduced the fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels (MD -0.11 mmol/L, P=0.0003), serum insulin levels (MD -2.06 µU/mL, P<0.00001), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD -0.38, P<0.00001). The study found a significant effect of probiotics on decreasing the risk of GDM [risk ratio (RR) 0.52, P=0.003) in early pregnancy. Additionally, there were statistically significant reductions in the total cholesterol and triglycerides levels after probiotic interventions (SMD -0.56, P=0.03; SMD -0.66, P=0.04), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the probiotic use was associated with improved glucose and lipid metabolism in the pregnant women, and might also contribute to the reduced risk of GDM.

Chemical Composition of Essential Oil in Mosla Chinensis Maxim Cv. Jiangxiangru and its Inhibitory Effect on Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Formation.

The essential oil of Mosla chinensis Maxim cv. Jiangxiangru is known for its antibacterial ability. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of Jiangxiangru essential oil and its inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to determine the chemical composition of Jiangxiangru essential oil. Subsequently, the eight major chemical components were quantitatively analyzed using GC- MS, and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against S. aureus were tested. Biofilm formation was detected by crystal violet semi-quantitative method and silver staining. Of the 59 peaks detected, 29 were identified by GC-MS. Of these peaks, thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, thymol acetate, α-caryophyllene, 3-carene, and carvacryl acetate were present at a relatively higher concentration. The results of the quantitative test showed that thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene were the major components of the essential oil. Among the eight reference substances, only thymol, carvacrol, and thymol acetate had lower MICs compared with the essential oil. Essential oil, carvacrol, carvacryl acetate, α-caryophyllene, and 3-carene showed the better inhibition of S. aureus biofilm formation. When one fourth of the MIC concentrations were used for these substances (0.0625 mg/mL for essential oil, 0.0305 mg/mL for carvacrol, 1.458 mg/mL for carvacryl acetate, 0.1268 mg/mL for α-caryophyllene, and 2.5975 mg/mL for 3-carene), the inhibition rates were over 80%. However, thymol, γ-terpinene, thymol acetate, and p-cymene showed a relatively poor inhibition of S. aureus biofilm formation. When 1× MIC concentrations of these substances were used, the inhibition rates were less than 50%. In conclusion, Jiangxiangru essential oil and its major components, carvacrol, carvacryl acetate, α-caryophyllene, and 3-carene, strongly inhibited biofilm formation in S. aureus.