Mechanisms and targeted reversion/prevention of hepatic fibrosis caused by the non-hereditary toxicity of benzo(a)pyrene.

The effect of long term exposure to low concentrations of environmental pollutants on hepatic disorders is a major public health concern worldwide. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of persistent organic pollutants. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have focused on the deleterious effects of low concentrations of PAHs in the initiation or exacerbation of the progression of chronic liver disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and effective intervention methods remain unclear. Here, we found that in hepatocytes, a low concentration of benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P, an indicator of PAHs) chronic exposure continuously activated 14-3-3η via an epigenetic accumulation of DNA demethylation. As a "switch like" factor, 14-3-3η activated its downstream PI3K/Akt signal, which in turn promoted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and secretion. As the characteristic fibrogenic paracrine factor regulated by B[a]P/14-3-3η, VEGF significantly induced the neovascularization and activation of hepatic stellate cells, leading to the development of hepatic fibrosis. Importantly, targeted 14-3-3η by using its specific inhibitor invented by our lab could prevent B[a]P-induced hepatic fibrosis, and could even reverse existent hepatic fibrosis caused by B[a]P. The present study not only revealed novel mechanisms, but also proposed an innovative approach for the targeted reversion/prevention of the harmful effects of exposure to PAHs on chronic liver disease.

The evaluation of the nutritional quality of common wild edible fungi in Yunnan Province.

There are huge resource reserves of wild edible fungi richer in their varieties in Yunnan Province which is located on plateau of low latitude and possesses unique various climate environments and bigger vegetative cover ratios. Moreover, nutrients and flavor substances in the same or various species of wild edible fungi differ greatly with the influence on different components from habitats and geographic areas. So, 5 common wild edible fungi were collected from different areas in Yunnan Province, and several findings were made from this research. Above all, through the evaluation of amino acids, these 5 fungi met the criteria for ideal protein by WHO/FAO, and the nutritional value of protein was ranked as matsutake > truffle > collybia albuminosa > bolete > chanterelle. Next, after the analysis of taste activity values, the ranking of taste was bolete > collybia albuminosa > truffle > matsutake > chanterelle. Subsequently, the ranking of characters was truffle > collybia albuminosa >bolete > matsutake > chanterelle through principal component analysis. Finally, truffle could be completely divided by Fisher discrimination analysis with a bigger difference from others, main in ash, protein, sugar, and polysaccharide, meanwhile, truffle and bolete could be completely divided by orthogonal projections to latent structures discrimination analysis, main in protein, crude fiber, fat, and amino acid. So, there was a more conspicuous difference in nutrients among fungi, through which nutrients combined with multivariate statistics analysis made possible the correct differentiation of small range categories in wild edible fungi, and the correct classification of small range of them could effectively be realized.

Analysis of ischemic stroke burden in Asia from 1990 to 2019: based on the global burden of disease 2019 data.

Background: Ischemic stroke has the characteristics of high morbidity, mortality, and recurrence rate. This study aimed to describe and assess the burden of ischemic stroke in Asia based on the global burden of disease (GBD) 2019 data and provide a crucial scientific foundation for the prevention and control of this life-threatening disease. Method: This study used the GBD 2019 data to assess the burden of ischemic stroke. The indicators used in this study were derived from the following methods: (i) the incidence of ischemic stroke was estimated using the disability model for the global burden of disease study-mixed effects regression (DisMod-MR), a Bayesian meta-regression disease modeling tool; (ii) the non-specific codes of all available data on mortality were corrected and used to estimate mortality rates for ischemic stroke and the cause of death ensemble model was used to estimate mortality rates; and (iii) the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) is the sum of years lived with disability (YLD) and the years of life lost (YLL), which quantifies the health loss due to specific diseases and injuries. In addition, the joinpoint regression model was adopted to analyze the temporal trend of ischemic stroke from 1990 to 2019 in Asia. Result: This study found an increase in the burden of ischemic stroke in 2019 compared to 1990. Moreover, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of ischemic stroke showed a gradual upward trend over the specific period. The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) showed a downward trend in Asia from 1990 to 2019. The burden of ischemic stroke was more concentrated on older age groups, particularly those older than 65 years. East Asia had the highest burden of ischemic stroke compared to other regions in Asia. Particularly, China, India, Indonesia, and Japan had the highest burdens of ischemic stroke among the Asian countries and regions. However, the population with the highest burden of ischemic stroke was still the elderly group. Conclusion: Based on our study, it is evident that the burden of ischemic stroke exists substantially and exhibits variations in the aspects of age, gender, and geographical region in Asia. Without targeted implementation of population-wide primary strategies for prevention and control, the burden of ischemic stroke is likely to worsen significantly in the future.

Simultaneous Determination and Health Risk Assessment of Four High Detection Rate Pesticide Residues in Pu'er Tea from Yunnan, China.

Four pesticides with a high detection rate in Pu'er tea have been determined by a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) method with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and combined ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole linear ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS). MWCNs have been compared with other common purification materials, and found to be superior. The matrix effect was systematically studied, and the results show that the MWCNs can quickly and effectively reduce matrix interference values, which were in the range from -17.8 to 13.8. The coefficients (R2) were greater than 0.99, with the limit of quantification ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 µg/kg, and the recovery rate ranging from 74.8% to 105.0%, while the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged from 3.9% to 6.6%. A total of 300 samples, taken from three areas in which Yunnan Pu'er tea was most commonly produced, tested for four pesticides. The results show that the detection rate of tolfenpyrad in Pu'er tea was 35.7%, which is higher than other pesticides, and the lowest was indoxacarb, with 5.2%. The residual concentrations of chlorpyrifos, triazophos, tolfenpyrad and indoxacarb ranged from 1.10 to 5.28, 0.014 to 0.103, 1.02 to 51.8, and 1.07 to 4.89 mg/kg, respectively. By comparing with China's pesticide residue limits in tea (GB 2763-2021), the over standard rates of chlorpyrifos, tolfenpyrad, and indoxacarb were 4.35%, 0.87% and 0%, respectively. The risk assessment result obtained with the hazard quotient (HQ) method shows that the HQ of the four pesticides was far less than one, indicating that the risk is considered acceptable for the four pesticides in Pu'er tea. The largest HQ was found for tolfenpyrad, 0.0135, and the smallest was found for indoxacarb, 0.000757, but more attention should be paid to tolfenpyrad in daily diets in the future, because its detection rate, and residual and residual median were all relatively high.

Determination of new generation amide insecticide residues in complex matrix agricultural food by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Eight new generation amide insecticide residues analysis by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) cleanup, combined with QuEChERS and ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been developed and successfully applied in complex matrix such as orange, celery, onion, litchi, mango, shallot, chives, avocado, garlic. The matric effect of MWCNs is optimized and compared with ordinary cleanup materials. The results show that the performance of MWCNs is fine and effectively reduce matrix interference. Through chemical structure skeletons analyzed, chlorantraniliprole, bromoantraniliprole, and cyantraniliprole can cause same product ions of m/z 286.0 or 177.1 in the ESI+ mode, then tetrachlorantraniliprole and cyclaniliprole can produce collective ions of m/z 146.9 in the ESI- mode. The coefficients (R2) were greater than 0.9990, the limit of quantification ranges from 0.03 to 0.80 µg/kg, the recovery rate ranges from 71.2 to 120%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranges from 3.8 to 9.4%. The method is fast, simple, sensitive, and suitable for the rapid determination of amide pesticides in complex matrix agricultural food.

[Simultaneous determination of antibiotics and triphenylmethanes veterinary drug residues in fish and shrimp by dispersive solid phase extraction purification-ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

A method was established to rapidly determine 20 kinds of veterinary drug residues including three catagories of antibiotics (sulfonamides, quinolones, and chloramphenicols) and two kinds of triphenylmethanes (malachite green (MG) and leucomalachite green (LMG)) in fish and shrimp, based on dispersive solid phase extraction purification-ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The samples were first hydrolyzed using a dipotassium hydrogen phosphate solution, and then extracted using acetonitrile. Afterward, the extraction solution was dehydrated and salted out with sodium chloride and condensed to nearly dry using a rotating evaporator. This residue was dissolved in 1.0 mL methanol. The resulting solution was purified by dispersive solid phase extraction method with C18 and PSA sorbents, and filtered through a filter. The target compounds were separated employing a ZORBAX C18 column. The mass spectrometer datas were acquired by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of positive and negative modes and quantitated applying the isotope internal standard method. The 20 veterinary drugs showed a good linear relationship in the range of 0.2-300 µg/L. The limits of detection and the limits of quantification were 0.1-0.6 and 0.3-1.8 µg/kg, respectively, while the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.99. The average recoveries at the three spiked levels (1, 5, and 20 times of quantitative limits) ranged between 72.5%-118%, with the relative standard deviations of 1.9%-9.8%. The advantages of method include a simple pretreatment, a high detection efficiency, and a low cost. Moreover, it is suitable for the simultaneous determination of multiple veterinary drug residues in fish and shrimp.

[Determination of nicotine in wild edible fungi by QuEChERS-ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry].

Yunnan Province has many wild edible fungi resources, and of these, endogenous nicotine has received extensive attention in recent years. In this study, wild edible fungus was used as the research object, and the QuEChERS method was improved, including optimization of solvent extraction and purification conditions and optimization of the chromatographic behavior of nicotine under different mobile phase conditions for ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Combined with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, a high-efficiency, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of nicotine in wild edible fungi was established. The results showed that an ammonia:acetonitrile (6:94, v/v) mixed solution can completely extract nicotine from wild edible fungi, and the extraction solution was purified by graphitized carbon black (GCB) and N-propylethylenediamine (PSA) mixed filler. Then, a 0.1% (volume percentage) ammonia solution and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phases. The nicotine peak obtained in the positive ion multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode had a better peak shape and better response. The linear relationship of nicotine mass concentration with peak area in the range of 0.05-50.0 µg/L was good. The correlation coefficient (r2) was 0.9999. The limit of quantification was 0.2 µg/kg, and the limit of detection was 0.05 µg/kg. The average recovery rates at three spiked concentrations were in the range of 86.34%-96.4%, and the relative standard deviations varied from 4.44% to 6.3%. The sensitivity and recovery of this method are consistent with the rapid determination of nicotine in the edible fungus industry.

[Determination of bisultap residue in tropical fruits by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

A method for the determination of bisultap in tropical fruits was developed by modified QuEChERS method and ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The tropical fruit samples were twice extracted with acetonitrile containing 1% (v/v) acetic acid, and purified by 200 mg of primary secondary amine (PSA), 100 mg of C18, 300 mg of MgSO4 and 500 mg of disodium hydrogen citrate. The analyte was separated on a CAPCELL CORE PC hydrophilic column, detected in the negative ion multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, and quantified by external standard method. A good linear relationship in the range of 0.1-10.0 µg/L was obtained with the correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.9993. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.015 µg/kg and 0.05 µg/kg, respectively. The spiked recoveries were in the range of 81.0%-88.3% with the relative standard deviations from 3.9% to 6.2%. The method has good purification effect and high sensitivity, and is suitable for the rapid analysis of the bisultap residues in tropical fruits.