The clinical and imaging data fusion model for single-period cerebral CTA collateral circulation assessment.

Background: The Chinese population ranks among the highest globally in terms of stroke prevalence. In the clinical diagnostic process, radiologists utilize computed tomography angiography (CTA) images for diagnosis, enabling a precise assessment of collateral circulation in the brains of stroke patients. Recent studies frequently combine imaging and machine learning methods to develop computer-aided diagnostic algorithms. However, in studies concerning collateral circulation assessment, the extracted imaging features are primarily composed of manually designed statistical features, which exhibit significant limitations in their representational capacity. Accurately assessing collateral circulation using image features in brain CTA images still presents challenges. Methods: To tackle this issue, considering the scarcity of publicly accessible medical datasets, we combined clinical data with imaging data to establish a dataset named RadiomicsClinicCTA. Moreover, we devised two collateral circulation assessment models to exploit the synergistic potential of patients' clinical information and imaging data for a more accurate assessment of collateral circulation: data-level fusion and feature-level fusion. To remove redundant features from the dataset, we employed Levene's test and T-test methods for feature pre-screening. Subsequently, we performed feature dimensionality reduction using the LASSO and random forest algorithms and trained classification models with various machine learning algorithms on the data-level fusion dataset after feature engineering. Results: Experimental results on the RadiomicsClinicCTA dataset demonstrate that the optimized data-level fusion model achieves an accuracy and AUC value exceeding 86% . Subsequently, we trained and assessed the performance of the feature-level fusion classification model. The results indicate the feature-level fusion classification model outperforms the optimized data-level fusion model. Comparative experiments show that the fused dataset better differentiates between good and bad side branch features relative to the pure radiomics dataset. Conclusions: Our study underscores the efficacy of integrating clinical and imaging data through fusion models, significantly enhancing the accuracy of collateral circulation assessment in stroke patients.

Preventive effect of Ya'an Tibetan tea on obesity in rats fed with a hypercaloric high-fat diet revealed by gut microbiology and metabolomics studies.

Ya'an Tibetan Tea (YATT) is a classic dark tea variety fermented with a unique geographical environment and traditional craftsmanship. Previous research indicates that it is beneficial for obesity and related metabolic disorders, but no systematic research currently reveals its precise mechanisms. This work investigated the preventive effect of YATT on obesity and the corresponding potential mechanisms by performing 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics studies. Our results demonstrated that YATT could significantly improve the body weight and fat deposition in hypercaloric high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats, enhance antioxidant enzymes activity and reduce inflammation, and reverse the liver damage caused by an HFD. Moreover, 16S rRNA analysis showed that YATT could improve the intestinal microbial disorders caused by the HFD by significantly reversing the increase in Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes（F/B）ratio and the relative abundance of flora associated with the HFD, such as unclassified_Lachnospiraceae and Romboutsia flora. In addition, metabolomic analysis of cecum contents identified 121 differential metabolites, of which 19 were common to all experimental rats fed with and without a high-fat diet. Strikingly, 17 of the most prevalent 19 differential metabolites, including Theobromine, L-Valine, and Diisobutyl phthalate, were considerably reversed by YATT. Enrichment analysis of the metabolic pathways of these differential metabolites indicated that Caffeine metabolism, Phenylalanine metabolism, and Lysine degradation are the potential metabolic pathways responsible for the obesity prevention effect of YATT. Collectively, this work revealed that YATT has good potential for obesity prevention and the improvement of intestinal microbial communities, potentially due to the YATT-induced alterations in the metabolic pathways and functional metabolite levels of caffeine and amino acids. These results inform the material basis of YATT for obesity prevention and its mechanisms and provide essential insights for developing YATT as a healthy beverage for obesity prevention.

Combinations of Tibetan tea and medicine food homology herbs: A new strategy for obesity prevention.

Obesity has become a significant global public health problem. Functional drinks have been an essential direction for obesity prevention research. The present study investigated the preventive effect and safety of winter melon and lotus leaf Tibetan tea (WLTT, a compound tea drink based on Ya'an Tibetan Tea and medicine food homology herbs) on obesity. The rats' hypercaloric high-fat diet (HFD) obesity model was established to evaluate obesity prevention and explored the mechanism through intestinal flora regulation. The results showed that in obese rats with the intervention of WLTT (400, 800, and 1600 mg/kg BW), the body weight, fat accumulation, adipocyte cell size, serum lipid levels, and antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, GSH-Px, and MDA) were progressively improved. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing showed that WLTT could improve intestinal flora disorders due to HFD, which significantly reversed the relative abundance of Firmicutes and the F/B ratio associated with an HFD, and significantly upregulated the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia. At the genus level, the downregulation of the relative abundance of Akkermansia and unclassified_Lachnospiraceae groups, and the upregulation of the relative abundance of Romboutsia, Ruminococcus, Corynebacteriume, and Saccharibacteria_genera_incertae_sedis groups brought about by the HFD were significantly reversed. The results of the above experiments were compared favorably with those of a parallel experiment with Bi -Sheng -Yuan slimming tea (BSY, a functional drink based on green tea and medicine food homology herbs). Overall, the findings have provided that WLTT can prevent obesity owing to an HFD by regulating intestinal flora and has a good safety profile, and combinations of Tibetan tea and medicine food homology herbs could be a new option for obesity prevention.

Extraction Optimization, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch.).

In order to evaluate effects of extraction techniques on the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of kiwifruit polysaccharides (KPS), and further explore KPS as functional food ingredients, both microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) were optimized for the extraction of KPS. Furthermore, the physicochemical structures and antioxidant activities of KPS extracted by different techniques were investigated. The optimal extraction conditions of UAE and MAE for the extraction of KPS were obtained by response surface methodology. Different extraction techniques significantly affected the contents of uronic acids, molecular weights, molar ratios of constituent monosaccharides, and the degree of esterification of KPS. Results showed that KPS exhibited remarkable DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, and reducing power. The high antioxidant activities observed in KPS extracted by the MAE method (KPS-M) might be partially attributed to its low molecular weight and high content of unmethylated galacturonic acid. Results suggested that the MAE method could be a good potential technique for the extraction of KPS with high antioxidant activity, and KPS could be further explored as functional food ingredients.

Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant Capacities, and Inhibitory Effects on Digestive Enzymes of Different Kiwifruits.

In order to obtain high-quality kiwifruits with health-promoting characteristics, physicochemical properties, phenolic profiles, antioxidant capacities, and inhibitory effects on digestive enzymes (pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase), of fourteen different types of kiwifruit obtained from China were systematically investigated and compared. Noticeable variations in the fruits' physicochemical properties and phenolic profiles were observed among them. The total phenolic content of Actinidia chinensis cv. Hongshi, A. chinensis cv. Jinshi, and A. chinensis cv. Jinlong were 16.52 ± 0.26 mg GAE/g DW (dry weight), 13.38 ± 0.20 mg GAE/g DW, and 11.02 ± 0.05 mg GAE/g DW, respectively, which were much higher than those of the other tested kiwifruits. According to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, phenolic compounds, including procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, (-)-epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin-3-rhamnoside, were found to be the major compounds in kiwifruits, while procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, and chlorogenic acid were the most abundant phenolic compounds. Furthermore, all the tested kiwifruits exerted remarkable antioxidant capacities and inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase. Indeed, A. chinensis cv. Hongshi, Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinshi, and Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinlong exhibited much better antioxidant capacities and inhibitory effects on digestive enzymes than those of the other tested kiwifruits. Particularly, A. polygama showed the highest inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase. Therefore, Actinidia chinensis cv. Hongshi, Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinshi, and Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinlong, as well as A. polygama could be important dietary sources of natural antioxidants and natural inhibitors against pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase, which is helpful for meeting the growing demand for high-quality kiwifruits with health-promoting characteristics in China.

Efficacy and Mechanism of Cinnamon Essential Oil on Inhibition of Colletotrichum acutatum Isolated From 'Hongyang' Kiwifruit.

In this study, one of the dominant pathogens, which caused postharvest diseases such as anthracnose, was isolated from decayed 'Hongyang' kiwifruit. It was identified as Colletotrichum acutatum by its morphological characteristics and standard internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA sequence. Further, the efficacy and possible mechanism of cinnamon essential oil on inhibition of C. acutatum were investigated. Results showed that C. acutatum was dose-dependently inhibited by cinnamon essential oil. Meanwhile, the mycelial growth and spore germination of C. acutatum were completely inhibited at the concentrations of 0.200 µL/mL and 0.175 µL/mL (v/v), respectively. Indeed, both minimal inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentrations of cinnamon essential oil were measured as 0.200 µL/mL. Additionally, the possible antifungal mechanism of cinnamon essential oil on C. acutatum was demonstrated. Results showed that the cinnamon essential oil could destroy the cell membrane integrity of C. acutatum, and the structure of cell membrane was changed. Indeed, the cell cytoplasm including soluble protein, sugar, and nucleic acid was released, which significantly changed the extracellular conductivity. Results suggested that the cinnamon essential oil exerted great potential to be used as a natural and efficient preservative for kiwifruit postharvest storage, which were helpful for the better understanding of the efficacy and mechanism of cinnamon essential oil on inhibition of pathogens isolated from decayed 'Hongyang' kiwifruit.

Effect of extraction methods on the properties and antioxidant activities of Chuanminshen violaceum polysaccharides.

The yields, properties and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides extracted from Chuanminshen violaceum (CVPs) by various methods including heated reflux extraction (HRE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), were evaluated. The results indicated that the yield of the polysaccharides (34.59%) obtained by MAE was higher than those obtained by other methods. Polysaccharides extracted by all three methods had similar physicochemical characteristics and FT-IR spectra. However, SEM images of particles of Chuanminshen violaceum treated by the three different methods were significantly different. Compared with HRE, UAE and MAE resulted in CVPs with lower molecular weight distributions and higher reducing power and scavenging abilities for ABTS + and DPPH. CVPs obtained by UAE had reduced scavenging abilities for DPPH compared to those obtained by MAE. These data indicated that MAE resulted in better extraction yields for CVPs and also resulted in CVPs with higher bioactivity.

Extraction, characterization and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides of Chuanminshen violaceum.

A single factor experiment and Box-Behnken design were applied to optimize the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of Chuanminshen violaceum polysaccharides (CVPs). The CVPs yield was 34.59 ± 0.51%, which was in accordance with the predicted value of 35.54%, under the following optimum conditions: microwave power of 466 W, extraction temperature of 64.5 °C, extraction time of 15 min, and water-raw material ratio of 40 mL/g. Two CVPs fractions (CVPs-I and CVPs-II) were obtained via stepwise ethanol precipitation. CVPs-II was further purified using DEAE cellulose-52 chromatography to obtain the major fraction of CVPs-IIa. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and GC-MS analysis revealed that crude CVPs, CVPs-I, and CVPs-II were neutral polysaccharides and were mainly composed of glucose and galactose. The molecular weights of CVPs-I and CVPs-IIa were 233.69 and 11.02 kDa, respectively. Furthermore, all samples exhibited certain antioxidant activity or reducing power to scavenge the DPPH and ABTS radicals, among which CVPs-II was the strongest. In conclusion, MAE is an efficient method for extracting CVPs of C. violaceum, and this plant root has the potential to be explored as a source of natural antioxidants.