Scavenging Glyoxal and Methylglyoxal by Synephrine and Neohesperidin from Flowers of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl. in Mice and Humans

There is considerable research evidence that α-dicarbonyl compounds, including glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO), are closely related to many chronic diseases. In this work, after comparison of the capture capacity, reaction pathway, and reaction rate of synephrine (SYN) and neohesperidin (NEO) on GO/MGO in vitro, experimental mice were administrated with SYN and NEO alone and in combination. Quantitative data from UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS revealed that SYN/NEO/HES (hesperetin, the metabolite of NEO) could form the GO/MGO-adducts in mice (except SYN-MGO), and the levels of GO/MGO-adducts in mouse urine and fecal samples were dose-dependent. Moreover, SYN and NEO had a synergistic scavenging effect on GO in vivo by promoting each other to form more GO adducts, while SYN could promote NEO to form more MGO-adducts, although it could not form MGO-adducts. Additionally, human experiments showed that the GO/MGO-adducts of SYN/NEO/HES found in mice were also detected in human urine and fecal samples after drinking flowers of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl. (FCAVA) tea using UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. These findings provide a novel strategy to reduce endogenous GO/MGO via the consumption of dietary FCAVA rich in SYN and NEO.

Scavenging Glyoxal and Methylglyoxal by Synephrine Alone or in Combination with Neohesperidin at High Temperatures

α-Dicarbonyl compounds, such as glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO), are a series of chemical hazards that exist in vivo and in vitro, posing a threat to human health. We aimed to explore the scavenging effects on GO/MGO by synephrine (SYN) alone or in combination with neohesperidin (NEO). First, through LC-MS/MS, we confirmed that both SYN and NEO could effectively remove GO and form GO adducts, while NEO could also clear MGO by forming MGO adducts, and its ability to clear MGO was stronger than that of GO. Second, a synergistic inhibitory effect on GO was found when SYN and NEO were used in combination by using the Chou-Talalay method; on the other hand, SYN could promote NEO to clear more MGO, although SYN could not capture MGO. Third, after synthesizing four GO/MGO-adducts (SYN-GO-1, SYN-GO-3, NEO-GO-7, and NEO-MGO-2) and identifying their structure through NMR, strict correlations between the GO/MGO-adducts and the GO/MGO-clearance rate were found when using SYN and NEO alone or in combination. Furthermore, it was inferred that the synergistic effect between SYN and NEO stems from their mutual promotion in capturing more GO by the quantitative analysis of the adducts in the combined model. Finally, a study was conducted on flowers of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl. (FCAVA, an edible tea) rich in SYN and NEO, which could serve as an effective GO and MGO scavenger in the presence of both GO and MGO. Therefore, our study provided well-defined evidence that SYN and NEO, alone or in combination, could efficiently scavenge GO/MGO at high temperatures, whether in the pure form or located in FCAVA.

Effects of different dietary vitamin D combinations during the grower phase and the feed restriction phase on growth performance and sternal morphology, mineralization, and related genes expression of bone metabolism in Pekin ducks

Our study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary vitamin D (VD) combinations during the grower (1-32 d of age) and feed restriction (33-52 d of age) phases on growth performance. We also evaluated sternal morphology, mineralization, and related genes expression of bone metabolism as well as absorption of calcium and phosphorous in duodenal mucosa and kidney in Pekin ducks. During the grower phase, we used 2 VD regimes (Group A: 3,160 IU/kg VD3; Group B: 400 IU/kg VD3 + 69 μg/kg 25-OH-D3). Each dietary treatment had 50 replicate pens of 10 ducks per pen. During the feed restriction phase, 30 replicate pens selected from Group A and Group B, repetitively, were redivided into 5 different dietary VD regimes to form a 2 × 5 experimental design. Each group consisted of 6 replicates, each with 10 ducks. During the feed restriction phase, we evaluated 5 different dietary VD combinations were as follows: T1: 2,000 IU/kg VD3 ; T2: 5,000 IU/kg VD3; T3: 3,620 IU/kg VD3 + 34.5 μg/kg 25-OH-D3; T4: 2,240 IU/kg VD3 + 69 μg/kg 25-OH-D3; T5: 1,800 IU/kg VD3 + 80 μg/kg 25-OH-D3). Results showed that Group B combinations with T5 had a better growth performance and breast meat deposition (P < 0.1). Regardless of 5 dietary VD regimes during the feed restriction phase, Group B significantly increased (P < 0.05) 52 d sternal depth and tended to increase (P < 0.1) 52 d sternal defatted weight, ash content, and phosphate (P) content of ducks. A significant interactive effect (P < 0.05) was observed on the mRNA abundance of DMP1 and Sost1 as well as RANKL/OPG in sternum and of VDR in duodenal mucosa of ducks at 52 d of age between dietary VD combinations during 2 phases. These results indicated that dietary VD regimes during the grower phase could affect the effectiveness of dietary VD regimes during the feed restriction phases; Dietary VD combinations of both phases could affect the genes expression of bone formation and the absorption as well as reabsorption of calcium and phosphorus in duodenum and kidney.

Synephrine, as a scavenger and promoter, cooperates with hesperidin to reduce acrolein levels

Acrolein (ACR) is a harmful and active aldehyde produced in processed food that endangers foods safety. We undertook this work to explore the ACR-trapping ability of hesperidin (HES) and synephrine (SYN) from the diet. After comparing their ACR-trapping abilities, the reaction pathways of HES and SNY were analyzed using LC-MS/MS, and two adducts (HES-ACR-1 and SNY-2ACR) were synthesized, and their structures were identified by NMR. Then, we not only evaluated the synergistic trapping effects of HES and SNY on ACR in the model through the Chou-Talalay method but verified it in the processing of roasted duck wings and cookies. Furthermore, based on the quantitative analysis of the ACR-adducts of HES and SNY, we demonstrated that SYN, as a promoter, could greatly improve the ACR-capturing ability of HES by forming more adducts (3-fold). Our findings could serve as a guide for using SNY and HES as new scavengers in food processing.

Elimination of Acrolein by Disodium 5'-Guanylate or Disodium 5'-Inosinate at High Temperature and Its Application in Roasted Pork Patty

Acrolein (ACR) is a highly active, simple unsaturated aldehyde found in various high-temperature processed foods. Its long-term accumulation in the human body increases the risk of chronic diseases. Animal and plant foodstuffs are rich in disodium 5'-guanylate (GMP) and disodium 5'-inosinate (IMP), which are authorized flavor enhancers. Herein, we used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to explore the reaction-active kinetics and pathway of the interaction between GMP/IMP and ACR and validated it in roasted pork patties. Our results suggested that GMP and IMP could efficiently eliminate ACR by forming ACR adducts (GMP-ACR, IMP-ACR). In addition, IMP exhibited a higher reaction rate, whereas GMP had a good trapping capacity at a later stage. As carriers of GMP and IMP, dried mushrooms and shrimp exhibited an effective ACR-trapping ability in the ACR model and roasted pork patty individually and in combination. Adding 10% of dried mushroom or shrimp alone or 5% of dried mushroom and shrimp in combination eliminated up to 53.9%, 55.8%, and 55.2% ACR in a roasted pork patty, respectively. This study proposed a novel strategy to eliminate the generation of ACR in roasted pork patties by adding foodstuffs rich in GMP and IMP.

Theanine in Tea: An Effective Scavenger of Single or Multiple Reactive Carbonyl Species at the Same Time

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS) are generated during thermal food processing, and their accumulation in the body increases the risk of various chronic diseases. Herein, the RCS-scavenging ability of theanine, a unique nonproteinogenic amino acid, was evaluated in terms of the scavenging rate, reaction kinetics, and reaction pathway using LC-MS/MS. Three major products of theanine conjugated with acrolein (ACR) and glyoxal (GO) were prepared and identified using nuclear magnetic resonance. Thereafter, the simultaneous reactions of four types of RCS (namely, ACR, crotonaldehyde, methylglyoxal, and GO) with theanine were discussed in RCS-theanine and RCS-tea models. Under different reaction ratios, theanine could nonspecifically scavenge the four coexisting RCS by forming adducts with them. The amount of theanine-RCS adducts in green and black tea was more than that of catechin (epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin)-RCS adducts despite the lower content of theanine than catechins. Thus, theanine, as a food additive and dietary supplement, could demonstrate new bioactivity as a promising RCS scavenger in food processing.

Synergistic Inhibitory Effect of Multiple Polyphenols from Spice on Acrolein during High-Temperature Processing

Acrolein (ACR) is a toxic unsaturated aldehyde that is produced during food thermal processing. Here, we investigated the synergistic effect of polyphenols in binary, ternary, and quaternary combinations on ACR by the Chou-Talalay method, and then explored the synergistic effect of cardamonin (CAR), alpinetin (ALP), and pinocembrin (PIN) in fixed proportion from Alpinia katsumadai Hayata (AKH) combined with curcumin (CUR) in the model, and roasted pork using LC-MS/MS. Our results showed that their synergistic effect depended on the intensification of their individual trapping ACR activities, which resulted in the formation of more ACR adducts. In addition, by adding 1% AKH (as the carrier of CAR, ALP, and PIN) and 0.01% CUR (vs. 6% AKH single) as spices, more than 71.5% (vs. 54.0%) of ACR was eliminated in roast pork. Our results suggested that selective complex polyphenols can synergistically remove the toxic ACR that is produced in food processing.

Effects of hesperidin combined with synephrine on the capture of acrolein in a mouse model, or in humans by citrus consumption

Acrolein (ACR) is a highly reactive α,β-unsaturated aldehyde that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of human diseases, such as atherosclerosis and pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders. We investigated the capture capacity of hesperidin (HES) and synephrine (SYN) on ACR by individual and combined means in vitro, in vivo (utilizing a mouse model), and via a human study. After proving that HES and SYN could efficiently capture ACR by generating ACR adducts in vitro, we further detected the adducts of SYN-2ACR, HES-ACR-1, and hesperetin (HESP)-ACR in mouse urine by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Quantitative assays revealed that adduct formation occurred in a dose-dependent manner, and that there was a synergistic effect of HES and SYN on capturing ACR in vivo. Moreover, quantitative analysis suggested that SYN-2ACR, HES-ACR-1, and HESP-ACR were formed and excreted through the urine of healthy volunteers consuming citrus. The maximum excretions of SYN-2ACR, HES-ACR-1, and HESP-ACR were at 2-4, 8-10, and 10-12 h, respectively, after dosing. Our findings propose a novel strategy for eliminating ACR from the human body via the simultaneous consumption of a flavonoid and an alkaloid.

Association between nutritional indices and mortality after hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed evidence on the association between prognostic nutritional index (PNI), controlling nutritional status (CONUT), geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), and mini-nutritional assessment-short form (MNA-SF) and mortality after hip fracture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The online databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were accessed for literature reporting the association between PNI/CONUT/GNRI/MNA-SF and mortality after hip fracture. Data were pooled in a random-effects model.

RESULTS

13 studies were eligible. Meta-analysis of six studies showed that individuals with low GNRI had a significantly higher risk of mortality as compared to those with high GNRI (OR: 3.12 95% CI: 1.47, 6.61 I2=87% p=0.003). Meta-analysis of three studies found that low PNI was not a significant predictor of mortality amongst hip fracture patients (OR: 1.42 95% CI: 0.86, 2.32 I2=71% p=0.17). On pooling data from five studies, it was noted that patients with low MNA-SF scores had a significantly higher risk of mortality in comparison to those with higher scores (OR: 3.61 95% CI: 1.70, 7.70 I2=85% p=0.0009). Only one study was available on CONUT. Heterogeneity of cut-offs and variable follow-up were important limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that MNA-SF and GNRI can predict mortality in elderly patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures. Data is scarce on PNI and CONUT to draw strong conclusions. Variation in cut-offs and follow-up period are important limitations which need to be addressed by future studies.

Current management of subarachnoid hemorrhage in a northern urban Chinese population: a multi-center surveillance study

OBJECTIVE

The current management of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the urban Chinese population remains unclear and the relevant literature is still lacking. Therefore, this work aimed to investigate the recent clinical practice in the management of spontaneous SAH in an urban population-based setting.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 2009 to 2011, the China Epidemiology Research In Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (CHERISH) project, which was a two-year prospective, multi-center, population-based, case-control study, was performed in the northern urban Chinese population. SAH cases were described in terms of their features, clinical management, and in-hospital outcomes.

RESULTS

Totally of 226 cases were enrolled with a final diagnosis of primary spontaneous SAH (65% of females; mean age, 58.5±13.2 years; range, 20-87 years). Among them, 92% of these patients received nimodipine, while 93% took mannitol. Meanwhile, 40% of them received traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), while 43% took neuroprotective agents. Endovascular coiling was applied in 26% of 98 angiography-confirmed intracranial aneurysms (IA) cases, while neurosurgical clipping was in 5% of them.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings on the management of SAH in the northern metropolitan Chinese population reveal that nimodipine is an effective medical therapy with a high rate of use. There is also a high utilization rate of alternative medical interventions. Endovascular coiling occlusion is more common than neurosurgical clipping. Therefore, regionally traditional therapy may be a key factor for the difference in the treatment of SAH between northern and southern China.

Effects of supplemented mode of emulsifier on growth performance, serum biochemical index, quality of meat and skin fat, and nutrient utilization in Pekin ducks

In our previous experiment, we found that fats with pre-emulsification (PreE), a new supplemented mode of emulsifier, had an improved bioavailability for Pekin ducks than fats without PreE based on dietary EE utilization. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of the supplemented mode of emulsifier (PreE vs. emulsifier direct supplementation) on the growth performance, serum biochemical index, quality of meat and skin fat, and nutrient utilization in Pekin ducks. A total of 640 healthy 10-day-old Pekin male ducks (408.65 ± 12.00 g) were randomly allocated into 4 treatments with 16 replicates of 10 birds each. The 4 dietary treatments were as follows: the positive control group (PC; the oil supplemented amount of 6%), the negative control group (NC; the oil supplemented amount of 5.4%), the emulsifier group (E; NC diet with an emulsifier added directly), and the oil pre-emulsification group (PreE; NC diet with oil PreE). The results showed reducing the amount of fat in the diet (NC vs. PC) significantly decreased growth performance and quality of skin fat, and affected serum lipid metabolism (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and the shear force of skin fat were increased, but the feed to gain ratio (F/G) was markedly decreased in the PreE group (P < 0.05) compared to those in the NC group, and these levels were similar to those in the PC group (P > 0.05). Additionally, the utilization of dietary dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), and total phosphorous (TP) were increased, but the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum was decreased in the PreE group compared to those in the NC group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to the E group, the F/G was decreased (P < 0.05), and the utilization of dietary EE, the shear force of skin fat and content of collagen in skin fat were markedly increased (P < 0.05) in the PreE group. However, no differences were observed (P > 0.05) in growth performance between the group administered a direct supplementation of emulsifier and the control groups (PC and NC). These results indicate that the negative effect of reducing the oil supplementation amount (-0.6%) in the diet can be restored by supplementation with emulsifier, especially by oil with PreE.

Nonfood Probiotic, Prebiotic, and Synbiotic Use Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk in Older Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Pro-, pre-, and synbiotic supplements improve cardiovascular risk factors. However, the association between nonfood pro-, pre-, and synbiotics (NPPS) and long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality has not been studied. Thus, our objective was to determine the impact of nonfood pro-, pre-, and synbiotics on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a retrospective, cohort study of 4837 nationally representative American participants aged 65 years or older with a median follow-up duration of 77 months.

MEASUREMENTS

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality were measured.

RESULTS

A total of 1556 participants died during the median 77-month follow-up, and 517 died from cardiovascular disease. Compared with participants without NPPS use, participants who used NPPS experienced a reduced risk of all-cause mortality by nearly 41% (hazard ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.79) and cardiovascular mortality by 52% (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.76). Such an effect persisted in most subgroup analyses and complete-case analyses.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

In this study, we found a protective effect of NPPS against all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Americans aged 65 years or older. Nonfood pro-, pre-, and synbiotics can be a novel, inexpensive, low-risk treatment addition for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality for older individuals.

Effects of a high-fat diet on the growth performance, lipid metabolism, and the fatty acids composition of liver and skin fat in Pekin ducks aged from 10 to 40 days

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a high-fat diet on the growth performance, serum, liver, and skin lipid metabolism as well as the fatty acids composition of liver and skin fat in Pekin ducks from 10 to 40 d of age based on a pair-fed group. Two hundred forty healthy male ducks (10 d old, 470.53 ± 0.57 g) were randomly divided into 3 groups (8 replicates per cage of 10 ducks): a normal diet (ND, 3% fat), a high-fat diet (HFD, 9% fat), and a pair-fed diet (PFD, given the ND in an amount equal to that consumed of the HFD to eliminate the effects of feed intake). The results were as follows: compared to ND feeding, HFD feeding significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the feed intake and feed:gain ratio (F:G), along with serum triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid contents. When compared with the ND and PFD, the HFD significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the liver weight and inhibited hepatic de novo lipogenesis (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activities), β-oxidation (carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 content), and decreased saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids deposition. Moreover, the HFD significantly increased (P < 0.05) the total fat content, lipid droplet area, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) content in the liver, as well as the abdominal fat weight, subcutaneous fat weight, the total fat and PUFAs content in skin fat. These results suggested that the HFD improved feed efficiency, which was related to HFD feeding inhibiting hepatic de novo lipogenesis and β-oxidation and promoting the deposition of fat in skin as well as altering the fatty acids composition of the liver and skin fat in Pekin ducks.

Corn distiller's dried grains with solubles as an alternative ingredient to corn and soybean meal in Pekin duck diets based on its predicted AME and the evaluated standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids

The study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) levels on growth performance, carcass characteristic, serum biochemical indexes, meat physical and chemical quality, nutrient utilization, and standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids (SIDAA) in Pekin ducks aged 11 to 42 d based on the evaluation of its SIDAA. A total of 560 eleven-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly allotted to 5 treatments with 7 replicate pens per treatment and 16 ducks per pen based on the average body weight. Six isonitrogenous and isocaloric experimental diets were formulated on a digestible amino acid basis to produce diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% DDGS, respectively. With increasing of dietary DDGS levels, a linear and quadratic reduction (P < 0.05) was observed in the body weight (BW) at d 42, average day gain (ADG) and average day feed intake (ADFI) from d 11 to 42, breast meat yield, the moisture and protein content in the breast meat, and dietary DM and EE utilization. Moreover, a linear and quadratic increase (P < 0.05) was observed in the b* value of the breast meat and serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Compared with the control group, the group with 10% inclusion of DDGS exhibited no adverse effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical indexes, meat physical and chemical quality, nutrient utilization, and the SIDAA of the diets (P > 0.05). These results suggested that 10% of corn DDGS can function as an alternative ingredient to corn and soybean meal, and the optimal levels of DDGS in the diets of ducks aged from 11 to 42 d depends more on its quality.

Dual effects of cardamonin/alpinetin and their acrolein adducts on scavenging acrolein and the anti-bacterial activity from Alpinia katsumadai Hayata as a spice in roasted meat

Acrolein (ACR) is frequently produced by the thermal degradation of carbohydrates and amino acids and lipid peroxidation in the thermal processing of food. Long-term exposure to ACR can cause various chronic diseases. Here, we screened two high-temperature-resistant ACR inhibitors, cardamonin (CAR) and alpinetin (ALP), which can interconvert without any loss at 100 °C, and were obtained from Alpinia katsumadai Hayata (AKH). They demonstrated the best activity among the six spices investigated and could scavenge ACR generated in roasted pork by forming adducts. After three ACR adducts were prepared, namely CAR-ACR-1, CAR-ACR-2 and ALP-ACR, quantitative analysis showed that the amount of CAR-ACR-1 generated in lean roasted pork with 2% AKH addition reached the minimal inhibitory concentration against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which was 20 times lower than that of CAR, and the higher the generation of ACR, the stronger its antibacterial activity. These results provided well-defined evidence to promote the application of AKH to ACR inhibitors in food processing.

Production and purification of 2-phenylethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using tobacco waste extract as a substrate

2-phenylethanol (2-PE), which is extracted naturally from plant or biotechnology processing, is widely used in the food and cosmetics industries. Due to the high cost of 2-PE production, the valorization of waste carbon to produce 2-PE has gained increasing attention. Here, 2-PE was produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using tobacco waste extract (TWE) as the substrate. Considering the toxicity of nicotine and its inhibition of 2-PE, the tolerance of S. cerevisiae was first evaluated. The results suggested that the production of 2-PE by S. cerevisiae in TWEs could be carried out at 2·0 mg ml-1 nicotine concentrations and may be inhibited by 1·0 mg ml-1 2-PE. Thus, the compounds in the TWEs prepared at different temperatures were detected, and the results revealed that the TWEs prepared at 140°C contained 2·18 mg ml-1 of nicotine, had total sugar concentrations of 26·8 mg ml-1 and were suitable for 2-PE production. Due to feedback regulation, the 2-PE production was only 1·11 mg ml-1 , and the remaining glucose concentration remained at 13·78 mg ml-1 , which indicated insufficient glucose utilization. Then, in situ product recovery was further implemented to remove this inhibition; the glucose utilization (the remaining concentration decreased to 3·64 mg ml-1 ) increased, and the 2-PE production increased to 1·65 mg ml-1 . The 2-PE produced in the fermentation broth was first isolated by elution from the resin with 75% ethanol and then by removing the impurities with 2·5% activated charcoal, and pure 2-PE was identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The results of this study suggest that TWE could be an alternative carbon source for 2-PE production. This could provide an outlet tobacco waste as well as reducing the price of natural 2-PE, although more strategies need to be explored to improve the production yield of 2-PE by using TWE.

Adduct Formation of Acrolein with Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and Its Degradants/Metabolites during Thermal Processing or In Vivo after Consumption of Red Bayberry

Acrolein (ACR) derives from the external environment and the endogenous metabolism of organisms. It has super-reactivity and can induce various diseases. We investigated the capacity of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and its degradants/metabolites to capture ACR during thermal processing or in vivo. Our results indicated that both C3G and its degradants, including phloroglucinaldehyde (PGA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA), could efficiently trap ACR to form adducts, such as C3G-ACR, C3G-2ACR, PGA-ACR, PGA-2ACR, PCA-ACR, and PCA-2ACR. Additionally, these adducts were detected in commercial canned red bayberry products. The adducts of C3G and its metabolites conjugated with ACR, such as C3G-ACR, C3G-2ACR, PGA-ACR, and 4-hydroxybenzoic-acid-ACR (4-HBA-ACR), were also detected in mice feces treated with C3G by oral gavage, where the adduct level was dose-dependent. A similar pattern was observed in tests on human consumption of red bayberry. In human urine, only PGA-2ACR and 4-HBA-ACR, were found, whereas C3G-ACR, C3G-2ACR, myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside-ACR (M3R-ACR), PGA-2ACR, 4-HBA-ACR and ferulic acid-ACR (FA-ACR) were detected in human feces following administration of red bayberry. Our results are the first demonstration that C3G and its metabolites can capture ACR in vitro and in vivo (mice and humans) and present a novel strategy, the development of C3G as a promising ACR inhibitor.

Interconversion and Acrolein-Trapping Capacity of Cardamonin/Alpinetin and Their Metabolites In Vitro and In Vivo

People are at high risk of exposure to endogenous and exogenous acrolein (ACR). ACR can cause a multitude of illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. In this study, we investigated the reaction pathway of cardamonin (CAR) or alpinetin (ALP) with ACR and the interconversion of CAR and ALP in vitro at 37 °C in phosphate-buffered saline using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Subsequently, ACR adducts of CAR, ALP, and their metabolites, for example, CAR-ACR-1, ALP-ACR, mono-ACR-pinocembrin chalcone (PIN-ACR), and mono- and di-ACR-naringenin (NAR-ACR and NAR-2ACR), were detected in urine samples, but only CAR-ACR-1 and ALP-ACR were detected in fecal samples from the CAR- and ALP-treated mouse groups using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-MS/MS, respectively. Quantitative analyses showed that CAR, ALP, and their metabolites markedly scavenged ACR in a dose-dependent manner in vivo. Furthermore, we also found that the metabolites of CAR or ALP remained and promoted the ACR-trapping ability.

Inhibitory Effect on Acrolein by Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and Its Acrolein Adducts from the Pigment of Mynica Red

Acrolein (ACR), the simplest α,β-unsaturated aldehyde, possesses high reactivity and toxicity both in vitro and in vivo and results in various chronic diseases. This has attracted increasing interest from researchers to screen various bioactive compounds to control it. In this article, we attempted to discover a new attribute of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), including its ACR-scavenging capacity, reaction pathway, and possible application. Our findings revealed that C3G could capture ACR to form mono- and diadducts at room temperature by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and we further synthesized and elucidated the structures of C3G-ACR and C3G-2ACR using HRMS and 2D NMR. The structural data validated that there were two active sites of C3G for trapping ACR: at C-6 in the A-ring and C-5' in the B-ring. In addition, we found that C3G-ACR exhibited a more remarkable clearing ability than C3G within a short time. More than 65.9% of ACR was eliminated by C3G-ACR within 5 min via further formation of C3G-2ACR, but there was no obvious effect of C3G on ACR. When the incubation time was extended to 120 min, C3G could remove up to 83.2% of ACR. Subsequently, we also observed that mynica red (>5% C3G), as a pigmented food additive, could efficiently eliminate ACR generated in the Chinese liquor model and real red bayberry wine products to form C3G-ACR and C3G-2ACR. Both adducts increased significantly, by 10 times to a 100 times, after adding mynica red to red bayberry wine products for 24 h; they also increased rapidly with prolonged incubation time in the liquor-mynica red model system. Therefore, our findings suggest that C3G or mynica red may be developed as a promising novel ACR inhibitor in fruit wine and assembled alcoholic drinks or as a health food.

Cell-free DNA from bile outperformed plasma as a potential alternative to tissue biopsy in biliary tract cancer

BACKGROUND

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are rare and highly heterogenous malignant neoplasms. Because obtaining BTC tissues is challenging, the purpose of this study was to explore the potential roles of bile as a liquid biopsy medium in patients with BTC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty-nine consecutive patients with suspected BTC were prospectively enrolled in this study. Capture-based targeted sequencing was performed on tumor tissues, whole blood cells, plasma, and bile samples using a large panel consisting of 520 cancer-related genes.

RESULTS

Of the 28 patients enrolled in this cohort, tumor tissues were available in eight patients, and plasma and bile were available in 28 patients. Somatic mutations were detected in 100% (8/8), 71.4% (20/28), and 53.6% (15/28) of samples comprising tumor tissue DNA, bile cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and plasma cfDNA, respectively. Bile cfDNA showed a significantly higher maximum allele frequency than plasma cfDNA (P = 0.0032). There were 56.2% of somatic single-nucleotide variant (SNVs)/insertions and deletions (indels) shared between bile and plasma cfDNA. When considering the genetic profiles of tumor tissues as the gold standard, the by-variant sensitivity and positive predictive value for SNVs/indels in bile cfDNA positive for somatic mutations were both 95.5%. The overall concordance for SNVs/indels in bile was significantly higher than that in plasma (99.1% versus 78.3%, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the sensitivity of CA 19-9 combined with bile cfDNA achieved 96.4% in BTC diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that bile cfDNA was superior to plasma cfDNA in the detection of tumor-related genomic alterations. Bile cfDNA as a minimally invasive liquid biopsy medium might be a supplemental approach to confirm BTC diagnosis.

Inhibitory Activity on the Formation of Reactive Carbonyl Species in Edible Oil by Synthetic Polyphenol Antioxidants

Food lipids play an important role in food quality, and their attributes contribute to texture, flavor, and nutrition. However, high-temperature processing leads to lipid peroxidation, degradation, and the formation of reactive carbonyl species (RCS), such as acrolein (ACR), glyoxal (GO), and methylglyoxal (MGO). We investigated the changes in the peroxidation value (POV), Rancimat induction time, formation and total amount of RCS, and inhibitory effects of synthetic polyphenol antioxidants on ACR/GO/MGO in plant oils during heating processing through an accelerated oxidation test using Rancimat. With increasing temperature and heating time, the amounts of ACR, GO, and MGO in oil increased and the level of ACR was about several times higher than that of GO and MGO. We also found that some amounts of ACR, GO, and MGO were produced at the initial stage before reaching the peak value of POV, even before oil oxidative rancidity, and the common antioxidant butyl hydroxyanisole (BHA)/butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) could not remove them once they were generated. This is first time to purify PG-ACR-MGO and elucidate the structure based on analysis of their high resolution mass spectrometry and ¹H, ¹³C, and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance. We further found that PG rather than BHT and BHA efficiently trapped ACR, OG, and MGO to form adducts in oil and roasted beef burgers with corn oil. Additionally, after incubation at 80 °C, the trapping order of PG was as follows: ACR, MGO, and GO, and the adduct of PG-ACR was formed within 1 min; after 10 min, PG-MGO was generated; and three adducts formed at 15 min. However, PG could not trap ACR, GO, or MGO to form adducts at room temperature. This study provided novel knowledge to advance our understanding of the ability of synthetic polyphenol antioxidants to scavenge RCS simultaneously, such as ACR, MGO, and GO. Our findings demonstrated that PG, as an inhibitor of RCS, is suitable for medium- and high-temperature food processing but not for normal-temperature storage.

Comparison of functional and structural properties of ginkgo seed protein dried by spray and freeze process

The influences of spray-drying and freeze-drying processes on functional properties of ginkgo seed proteins (GSP) were systematically investigated. It was revealed that GSP dried by spray (SGSP) displays an significantly improved water holding capacity and superior emulsifying properties than the freezing-drying GSP (FGSP), whereas, the oil binding capacity is higher in FGSP. The difference in properties of SGSP and FGSP can be attributed to their different structural characteristics. Comparing with FGSP, SGSP was demonstrated having more disulfide bonds, more amorphous and less ordered structure, accounted for big differences in functional properties. With the outstanding functional characteristics, GSP could be potentially applied in oil-in-water type food system, such as milk and mayonnaise. Finally, it is important to choose the suitable drying method according to the requirements of the specific food system.

Trapping of Acrolein by Curcumin and the Synergistic Inhibition Effect of Curcumin Combined with Quercetin

Acrolein (ACR) is a toxic unsaturated aldehyde that is formed during different steps of thermal food processing. Here, we explored the kinetics of curcumin and ACR and elucidated the pathway of curcumin trapping ACR by preparing a mono-adduct of ACR (CMA-1) conjugated with curcumin. The synergistic scavenging effect and mechanism of curcumin combined with quercetin on ACR was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Comparing the uses of curcumin and quercetin both individually and in combination, we found that quercetin in combination resulted in more curcumin being transformed into CMA-2, while curcumin in combination made the amount of di-ACR conjugated to quercetin (QDA) increase. We also added combined curcumin and quercetin into grilled chicken wings to demonstrate that curcumin and quercetin could scavenge ACR by forming their own ACR adducts and antioxidant activity during the process. Our results have noted a new strategy, in which some combinations of dietary polyphenols might contribute to the removal of toxic ACR produced during thermal food processing.

Trapping Acrolein by Theophylline/Caffeine and Their Metabolites from Green Tea and Coffee in Mice and Humans

Acrolein (ACR) is found exogenously as a widespread environmental pollutant and endogenously, where it is thought to be involved as a pathogenic factor in the progression of many pathological conditions. Eliminating ACR by dietary-active substances has been found to be one potential strategy to prevent ACR-associated chronic diseases. This study first compared the scavenging ACR efficacy of four purine alkaloids, theophylline (TP), paraxanthine (PXT), theobromine (TB), and caffeine (CAF), and then, TP, CAF, and their metabolites were investigated for their ability to trap ACR in vivo. Our results indicated that TP, which possesses an -NH moiety at the N-7 position, exhibits the best ACR-trapping capacity in vitro, while CAF has a slight ability to trap ACR due to the substitutions by -CH₃ at the N-1, N-3, and N-7 positions. After oral administration of TP or CAF, the ACR adducts of TP and the metabolites of TP or CAF (e.g., mono- and di-ACR-TP, mono-ACR-1,3-DMU, and mono-ACR-1-MU) were detected in urinary samples obtained from both TP- and CAF-treated mouse groups by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The quantification studies demonstrated that TP and its metabolites significantly trapped ACR in a dose-dependent manner in vivo. Furthermore, we also detected those ACR adducts of TP and TP/CAF's metabolites in human urine after four cups of green tea (2 g tea leaf/cup) or two cups of coffee (4 g coffee/cup) were consumed per day. Those results indicated that dietary TP or CAF has the potential capacity to scavenge ACR in vivo.

Acrolein-Trapping Mechanism of Theophylline in Green Tea, Coffee, and Cocoa: Speedy and Successful

Increasing evidence has identified the unsaturated aldehyde acrolein (ACR) as the potential factor that causes deoxyribonucleic acid cross-linking and the development of chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which theophylline (TP) scavenges ACR for the first time. TP efficiently scavenged ACR through forming adducts, which was demonstrated in a system in which TP was incubated with ACR at different ratios for different times for liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Then, the mono- and di-ACR-TP adducts were purified, and their structures were elucidated by high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. We found that the ACR residue on mono-ACR-TP further trapped one more ACR and formed di-ACR-TP adducts. Furthermore, mono- and di-ACR-TP had similar time-dependent ACR-scavenging activity to TP. Finally, we demonstrated that green tea, coffee, and cocoa inhibited ACR by trapping ACR to form mono- and di-ACR-TP adducts during the incubation of green tea, coffee, and cocoa with ACR.

Trapping Methylglyoxal by Myricetin and Its Metabolites in Mice

Trapping of methylglyoxal (MGO) has been determined to be one of the potential mechanisms for dietary polyphenols to prevent chronic diseases. In this study, myricetin was demonstrated to efficiently trap MGO to generate mono- and di-MGO adducts under in vitro conditions. Furthermore, the mono- and di-MGO adducts of myricetin were detected in urine and fecal samples collected from myricetin-treated mice based on LC-MS analysis. More importantly, the mono-MGO adducts of the mono- and di-methylated myricetin were also found in these mouse samples. Further dose-dependent studies demonstrated that myricetin and its methylated metabolites significantly trapped MGO in a dose-dependent manner with the 400 mg/kg dose having the highest trapping efficacy (mono-MGO-myricetin: 272.0 ± 90.9 nM in urine and 1.05 ± 0.67 μg/g in feces; mono-MGO-mono-Me-myricetin: 135.2 ± 77.6 nM in urine and 1.16 ± 0.65 μg/g in feces; and mono-MGO-di-Me-myricetin: 17.0 ± 5.9 nM in urine and 0.19 ± 0.04 μg/g in feces) compared to the 100 and 200 mg/kg doses. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time the in vivo trapping efficacy of myricetin, suggesting that intake of myricetin-containing foods has the potential to scavenge MGO in vivo and to prevent MGO-induced harmful effects to human health.

Mechanistic studies of inhibition on acrolein by myricetin

Acrolein (ACR) is an unsaturated aldehyde with high activity and toxicity and is produced in vivo and in food. This study investigated the impact of B-ring structure on the trapping of ACR by flavonols and the trapping mechanism and efficacy of ACR by myricetin. Galangin, kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin, which possess the same A- and C-ring but different numbers of -OH groups on the B-ring, were selected for this study. Our results suggested that increasing the number of -OH groups on the B-ring can enhance the ACR trapping efficacy of flavonol and myrectin was identified as the most active flavonol. The adducts of myricetin with ACR under different ratios and incubation times were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. We also purified and identified the major mono- and di-ACR-myricetin adducts. Furthermore, myricetin could dose-dependently inhibit the formation of ACR in cookies through the formation of mono- and di-ACR adducts.

Translating In Vitro Acrolein-Trapping Capacities of Tea Polyphenol and Soy Genistein to In Vivo Situation is Mediated by the Bioavailability and Biotransformation of Individual Polyphenols

SCOPE

Acrolein (ACR) is a highly toxic unsaturated aldehyde. Humans are both endogenously and exogenously exposed to ACR. Long-term exposure to ACR leads to various chronic diseases. Dietary polyphenols have been reported to be able to attenuate ACR-induced toxicity in vitro via formation of ACR-polyphenol conjugates. However, whether in vitro ACR-trapping abilities of polyphenols can be maintained under in vivo environments is still unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Two most commonly consumed dietary polyphenols, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from tea and genistein from soy, are evaluated for their anti-Acrolein behaviors both in vitro and in mice. Tea EGCG exerts a much higher capacity to capture ACR than soy genistein in vitro. But translation of in vitro anti-ACR activity into in vivo is mainly mediated by bioavailability and biotransformation of individual polyphenols. It is found that 1) both absorbed EGCG and genistein can trap endogenous ACR by forming mono-ACR adducts and eventually be excreted into mouse urine; 2) both absorbed EGCG and genistein can produce active metabolites, methyl-EGCG (MeEGCG) and orobol, to scavenge endogenous ACR; 3) both MeEGCG and non-absorbed EGCG show ability to trap ACR in the gut; 4) considerable amounts of microbial metabolites of genistein display enhanced anti-ACR capacity both in the body and in the gut, compared to genistein; and 5) biotransformation of genistein is able to boost its in vivo anti-ACR capacity, compared to EGCG.

CONCLUSION

The findings demonstrate that in vivo anti-ACR ability of dietary polyphenols cannot be reflected solely based on their in vitro ability. The bioavailability and biotransformation of individual polyphenols, and especially the gut microbiome, contribute to in vivo anti-ACR ability of dietary polyphenols.

Scavenging of Acrolein by Food-Grade Antioxidant Propyl Gallate in a Model Reaction System and Cakes

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS), such as acrolein (ACR), glyoxal (GO), and methylglyoxal (MGO), have received extensive attention recently as a result of their high activity and toxicity in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, propyl gallate (PG), a common food antioxidant, was found to effectively trap more ACR than butylated hydroxytoluene and butylated hydroxyanisole through the formation of mono-ACR adducts (PG-ACR) and di-ACR adducts (PG-2ACR). The two adducts were successfully purified, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of their high-resolution mass spectrometry and ¹H, ¹³C, and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance data. We further identified that PG-ACR had the ability to continue to trap GO and MGO to form PG-ACR-GO and PG-ACR-MGO, respectively, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Furthermore, we verified that PG could inhibit the production of ACR, GO, and MGO via trapping these RCS simultaneously to form the corresponding adducts in pound cakes using LC-MS/MS.

Negative Association of Serum URIC Acid with Peripheral Blood Cellular Aging Markers

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to explore the association between serum UA and cellular aging markers.

DESIGN

The current cross-sectional analysis was based on data collected within a type 2 diabetes project.

SETTINGS

Serum uric acid (UA), which has both antioxidant and pro-oxidant properties, is thought to be involved in cellular aging processes.

PARTICIPANTS

There are 536 participants included in total, 65.3% of which are women. The average serum UA in women was 267.8 umol/l, lower than in men of 337.7 umol/l (P<0.001).

MEASUREMENTS

Serum UA, blood lipid profile, HbA1c, plasma glucose and insulin were determined. The peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were assessed using a real-time PCR assay. Logistic regressions were used to analyze the associations between serum UA and cellular aging markers.

RESULTS

In Spearman's correlation analysis, there were significantly negative correlations between serum UA and LTL in both women and men (r=-0.162, P=0.006; and r=-0.232, P=0.004, respectively). The logistic regression adjusted for age, BMI, WC, daily energy intake, HbA1c, TG, and LDL-C revealed that the ORs of shorter LTL comparing the extreme serum UA quintiles was 5.52 (95% CI 1.69-18.02; P for trend =0.025) in women and 6.49 (95% CI 1.38-30.45; P for trend =0.108) in men. Furthermore, the OR (95% CI) for shorter LTL per 1 SD increment in serum UA was 1.51(1.10-2.07) in women and 1.64(1.01-2.65) in men. In regard to mtDNAcn, the association between elevated serum UA and lower mtDNAcn only reached significance in men when comparing the second and fifth quintiles with reference quintile (OR=3.73(1.07-13.04) and 3.76(1.01-14.09) , separately, and P for trend=0.066).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate a significant negative association between serum UA and peripheral blood cellular aging markers. Serum UA might play a role in promoting cellular aging.

A new method to prepare and redefine black tea thearubigins

Thearubigins (TRs) are the major components of black tea, which are formed during the fermentation reactions. Although anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of TRs have been reported, the prepared TRs according to the literature methods still contain many floating peaks. It is puzzling whether the observed activities are from TRs or these floating peaks. Thus, it is urgent to develop a method to prepare pure TRs and redefine them. In the present study, we developed a new method, the combination of caffeine precipitation and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, to prepare pure TRs. The floating peaks on the hump of the crude TRs were removed, and pure TRs were prepared. The chemical profile of the floating peaks was established using LC/MS, and the major compounds in this fraction were identified as apigenin glycosides, quercetin glycosides, kaempferol glycosides, theaflavins, theasinensin, and galloylglucoses based on the analysis of their tandem mass spectra and in comparison with literature data. This study will pave the way to further study the chemistry and biological activities of TRs and the health effects of black tea consumption.

Botulinum toxin A treatment of epiphora secondary to autologous submandibular gland transplantation

The aim of this study was to explore whether botulinum toxin A (BTXA) injection treats epiphora secondary to submandibular gland (SMG) transplantation for severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Fifteen patients with epiphora after SMG transplantation were separated to three groups, and received 15U, 20U and 25U BTXA injection in the transplanted SMG, respectively. Secretion of transplanted SMG was assessed subjectively by visual analogue scale (VAS) regarding epiphora, and objectively by Schirmer test. There were no significant differences in the 15-U BTXA group regarding the values of the VAS on epihora before and 1 month after BTXA injection. While in 20-U group and 25-U group, the values of VAS on epihora decreased significantly after BTXA injection, and lasted for 6months. Under resting conditions, the secretion of transplanted SMG decreased 64.4%, 73.0% and 78.0% in 15-U, 20-U and 25-U groups, respectively (P<0.01), in 1month after BTXA injection; significant secretion decreasing lasted 3months only in the 25-U BTXA group. BTXA injection can decrease the secretion of transplanted SMG significantly, relieving the symptoms of epiphora; 25U BTXA is a suitable dose to treat 'opportunistic epiphora' after SMG transplantation.

Dual effects of propyl gallate and its methylglyoxal adduct on carbonyl stress and oxidative stress

In the present study, we investigated the trapping of methylglyoxal (MGO) by propyl gallate (PG), a known food grade antioxidant, and the anti-carbonyl and anti-oxidative properties of the mono-MGO adduct of PG (MM-PG). Our result indicated that more than 77.5% MGO was suppressed by PG after a 30 min incubation of PG with MGO, which was much more effective than gallic acid (15.2%). For the first time, MM-PG was purified, and its structure was elucidated based on the analysis of its ¹H, ¹³C, and 2D-NMR data. We also demonstrated that MM-PG had strong anti-oxidative and anti-carbonyl activities. Furthermore, PG could trap the MGO generated during the preparation of roasted pork, and both mono- and di- MGO adducts of PG were detected in the roasted pork system using LC/MS technique. Thus, PG could be widely applied in the food system for inhibiting the formation of both carbonyl species and oxidative species.

[A 20-year study on microvascular autologous transplantation of submandibular gland for treatment of severe dry eye]

Severe dry eye is a refractory ophthalmologic disease. Our multidisciplinary research group treated severe dry eye by microvascular autologous transplantation of submandibular gland (SMG) during the past 20 years. The SMG, with its blood vessels and Wharton's duct, was harvested from the submandibular triangle and transferred to the temporal area. The blood vessels in the SMG were anastomosed with the temporal blood vessels using a microsurgical technique. Then, the distal end of Wharton's duct was sutured to form an opening in the upper lateral conjunctival fold. The tear was replaced by the secretion of the transplanted SMG to lubricate the ocular surface. In our study, the surgical techniques of blood vessel management were continuously modified to increase the survival rate of the transplanted SMG. A novel surgical modality of partial transplantation of SMG was established to prevent postoperative epiphora. A clinical study with the largest case number in the world was conducted and the effectiveness of transplantation of SMG for severe dry eye was fully confirmed. In order to resolve two main clinical problems including ductal obstruction resulted from low secretion rate during the latent period, and epiphora due to over secretion of the transplanted SMG in the later term of transplantation, the regulation of the secretion mechanism of the normal and transplanted SMG were investigated. New opinions on mechanisms of saliva secretion were provided. Based on the priniciple of translational medicine, the results of related basic research were applied in the clinic. The clinical guidelines for secretion regulation of transplanted SMG were established. A concept of chronic obstructive sialadenitis of transplanted SMG was provided and its diagnostic criteria, diagnostic technique of sialography, and therapeutic regimen were established. As a result, the surgical success rate was obviously elevated, the surgical complications were decreased, and life quality of the patients was greatly improved.

Auditory verbal hallucinations are related to cortical thinning in the left middle temporal gyrus of patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are one of the most common and severe symptoms of schizophrenia, but the neuroanatomical abnormalities underlying AVHs are not well understood. The present study aims to investigate whether AVHs are associated with cortical thinning.

METHODS

Participants were schizophrenia patients from four centers across China, 115 with AVHs and 93 without AVHs, as well as 261 healthy controls. All received 3 T T1-weighted brain scans, and whole brain vertex-wise cortical thickness was compared across groups. Correlations between AVH severity and cortical thickness were also determined.

RESULTS

The left middle part of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) was significantly thinner in schizophrenia patients with AVHs than in patients without AVHs and healthy controls. Inferences were made using a false discovery rate approach with a threshold at p < 0.05. Left MTG thickness did not differ between patients without AVHs and controls. These results were replicated by a meta-analysis showing them to be consistent across the four centers. Cortical thickness of the left MTG was also found to be inversely correlated with hallucination severity across all schizophrenia patients.

CONCLUSION

The results of this multi-center study suggest that an abnormally thin left MTG could be involved in the pathogenesis of AVHs in schizophrenia.

Prevalence of honeybee viruses in different regions of China and Argentina

Honeybees are threatened by various pathogens and parasites. More than 18 viruses have been described in honeybees and many of them have been detected in China and Argentina. In China, both Apis cerana and Apis mellifera are raised. In Argentina, beekeepers raise different ecotypes of A. mellifera: European honeybees (in both temperate and subtropical regions) and Africanised honeybees (in subtropical areas only). A thorough study was carried out in both China and Argentina to analyse the current virus presence and distribution in different climatic zones and gather information on different bee species/subspecies. Adult honeybees were collected from apiaries in temperate and subtropical regions of China (including areas with exclusive populations of A. mellifera, areas where A. mellifera and A. cerana co-exist, and areas with exclusive populations of A. cerana) and Argentina. Six viruses, namely, deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), sacbrood virus (SBV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) were detected in China, both in A. cerana and in A. mellifera, while four viruses (DWV, BQCV, CBPV and ABPV) were present in Argentina. Interestingly, multiple infections were commonly found in China, with up to five different viruses co-circulating in some colonies without apparent abnormalities. In this study, no Chinese samples were positive for slow bee paralysis virus. The most prevalent viruses were BQCV (China) and DWV (Argentina). Kashmir bee virus was absent from samples analysed for both countries.

Additive Capacity of [6]-Shogaol and Epicatechin To Trap Methylglyoxal

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a reactive dicarbonyl species, is thought to contribute to the development of long-term pathological diabetes as a direct toxin or as an active precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Trapping MGO by dietary phenols to inhibit the MGO induced AGE formation is an approach for alleviating diabetic complications. The present study investigated whether dietary compounds with different structures and active sites have the additive capacity to trap MGO. Ginger phenolic constituent [6]-shogaol and tea flavonoid (-)-epicatechin were selected and tested under simulated physiological conditions, showing that they additively trapped about 41% MGO at a concentration of 10 μM within 24 h. Furthermore, whether [6]-shogaol and epicatechin can retain their MGO trapping efficacy in vivo or a biotransformation limits their MGO trapping capacity remain virtually unknown. An acute mouse study was carried out by giving a single dose of [6]-shogaol, epicatechin, and the combination of both ([6]-shogaol + epicatechin) through oral gavage. A mono-MGO adduct of [6]-shogaol was identified from [6]-shogaol and [6]-shogaol + epicatechin treated mice, and mono- and di-MGO adducts of epicatechin and its metabolite, 3'-O-methyl epicatichin, were detected in urine samples collected from epicatechin and [6]-shogaol + epicatechin treated mice. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the additive MGO trapping efficacy of [6]-shogaol and epicatechin and that [6]-shogaol and epicatechin retained their MGO trapping capacity in mice.

CDKN2B deletion is essential for pancreatic cancer development instead of unmeaningful co-deletion due to juxtaposition to CDKN2A

Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest malignancies; however, the genetic events that lead to pancreatic carcinogenesis in adults remain unclear. In vivo models in which these genetic alterations occur in adult animals may more accurately reflect the features of human cancer. In this study, we demonstrate that inactivation of Cdkn2b (p15ink4b) is necessary for induction of pancreatic cancer by oncogenic KRAS^G12D expression and inactivation of Tp53 and Cdkn2a in adult mouse pancreatic ductal cells (P60 or older). KRAS^G12D overexpression in these cells activated transforming growth factor-β signaling and expression of CDKN2B, which, along with CDKN2A, led to cellular senescence and protected cells from KRAS-mediated transformation via inhibition of retinoblastoma phosphorylation. These results show a critical role of CDKN2B inactivation in pancreatic carcinogenesis, and provide a useful adult animal model by genetic engineering via lentiviral delivery.

Common variants on 2p16.1, 6p22.1 and 10q24.32 are associated with schizophrenia in Han Chinese population

Many schizophrenia susceptibility loci have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in European populations. However, until recently, schizophrenia GWASs in non-European populations were limited to small sample sizes and have yielded few loci associated with schizophrenia. To identify genetic risk variations for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population, we performed a two-stage GWAS of schizophrenia comprising 4384 cases and 5770 controls, followed by independent replications of 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in an additional 4339 schizophrenia cases and 7043 controls of Han Chinese ancestry. Furthermore, we conducted additional analyses based on the results in the discovery stage. The combined analysis confirmed evidence of genome-wide significant associations in the Han Chinese population for three loci, at 2p16.1 (rs1051061, in an exon of VRK2, P=1.14 × 10-12, odds ratio (OR)=1.17), 6p22.1 (rs115070292 in an intron of GABBR1, P=4.96 × 10-10, OR=0.77) and 10q24.32 (rs10883795 in an intron of AS3MT, P=7.94 × 10-10, OR=0.87; rs10883765 at an intron of ARL3, P=3.06 × 10-9, OR=0.87). The polygenic risk score based on Psychiatric Genomics Consortium schizophrenia GWAS data modestly predicted case-control status in the Chinese population (Nagelkerke R2: 1.7% ~5.7%). Our pathway analysis suggested that neurological biological pathways such as GABAergic signaling, dopaminergic signaling, cell adhesion molecules and myelination pathways are involved in schizophrenia. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population. Further studies are needed to establish the biological context and potential clinical utility of these findings.