Metabolomic Insights into the Mechanisms of Ganoderic Acid: Protection against α-Amanitin-Induced Liver Injury.

α-Amanitin is a representative toxin found in the Amanita genus of mushrooms, and the consumption of mushrooms containing α-Amanitin can lead to severe liver damage. In this study, we conduct toxicological experiments to validate the protective effects of Ganoderic acid A against α-amanitin-induced liver damage. By establishing animal models with different durations of Ganoderic acid A treatment and conducting a metabolomic analysis of the serum samples, we further confirmed the differences in serum metabolites between the AMA+GA and AMA groups. The analysis of differential serum metabolites after the Ganoderic acid A intervention suggests that Ganoderic acid A may intervene in α-amanitin-induced liver damage by participating in the regulation of retinol metabolism, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, sphingosine biosynthesis, spermidine and spermine biosynthesis, and branched-chain amino acid metabolism. This provides initial insights into the protective intervention mechanisms of GA against α-amanitin-induced liver damage and offers new avenues for the development of therapeutic drugs for α-Amanitin poisoning.

Berberine improves insulin resistance in adipocyte models by regulating the methylation of hypoxia-inducible factor-3α.

Methylation of hypoxia-inducible factor-3α (HIF3A) was previously demonstrated to be highly associated with insulin resistance (IR) in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We aimed to study the therapeutic effects of Berberine (BBR) on GDM and the possible mechanisms. The expressions and methylated states of HIF3A in pregnant women with GDM were compared with that in healthy controls. The IR cell models of 3T3-L1 adipocytes was constructed by 1 µmol/l dexamethasone (Dex) and 1 µmol/l insulin (Ins). To evaluate the effects of BBR on IR adipocyte models, cells were subjected to BBR treatment at different concentrations. Transfection of HIF3A siRNA further confirmed the role of HIF3A in the BBR-induced improving effects. Low expression and high methylation of HIF3A gene were frequent in the GDM pregnancies. BBR treatment noticeably increased the glucose usage rates, adiponectin secretion and cell differentiation of IR 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Increased HIF3A expression and decreased methylated state of HIF3A were also found in IR adipocytes. Furthermore, HIF3A silencing not only reversed the effects of BBR on improving insulin sensibility, but also partially abolished the expression alterations of insulin-related genes in IR adipocytes induced by BBR treatment. Our results suggest that BBR improves insulin sensibility in IR adipocyte models, and the improving effects of BBR are possibly realized through the inhibition of HIF3A methylation.

Effects of nutritional nursing intervention based on glycemic load for patient with gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of nutritional nursing intervention based on glycemic load (GL) for patients with gestational diabetes mellitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-four patients diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus at our hospital were selected from March 2015 to March 2017 and randomly divided into the observation (n = 67) and control groups (n = 67). All of the patients in the observation and control groups received conventional nutritional nursing. In addition, the patients in the observation group received nutritional nursing intervention based on GL. The changes in blood glucose levels and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups after intervention. RESULTS: There were significant differences in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and the 2h postprandial glucose (2hPG) levels between the two groups (P < 0.05). There was a lower incidence of premature delivery, fetal macrosomia, eclampsia, preg- nancy hypertension syndrome, and fetal distress in the observation group. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional nursing intervention based on GL is more effective than traditional nutritional nursing for patients with gestational diabetes, and can effectively control the blood glucose level, reduce the incidence of pregnant complica- tions, and improve the pregnancy outcome. Thus, nutritional nursing intervention based on GL deserves to be popularized.

A novel magnetic biochar efficiently sorbs organic pollutants and phosphate.

Biochar derived from agricultural biomass waste is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional material for agricultural and environmental applications. Three novel magnetic biochars (MOP250, MOP400, MOP700) were prepared by chemical co-precipitation of Fe3+/Fe2+ on orange peel powder and subsequently pyrolyzing under different temperatures (250, 400 and 700 °C), which resulted in iron oxide magnetite formation and biochar preparation in one-step. The MOP400 was comprised of nano-size magnetite particles and amorphous biochar, and thus exhibited hybrid sorption capability to efficiently remove organic pollutants and phosphate from water. For organic pollutants, MOP400 demonstrated the highest sorption capability, and even much larger than the companion non-magnetic biochar (OP400). For phosphate, magnetic biochars, especially MOP250, demonstrated much higher sorption capability than the companion non-magnetic biochars. No significantly competitive effect between organic pollutant and phosphate was observed. These suggest that the magnetic biochar is a potential sorbent to remove organic contaminants and phosphate simultaneously from wastewater.

Enhanced sorption of naphthalene and nitroaromatic compounds to bentonite by potassium and cetyltrimethylammonium cations.

Sorption of naphthalene, p-nitrotoluene, nitrobenzene and m-dinitrobenzene from water to original bentonite, original bentonite in KCl solutions, and an organobentonite (i.e., 100CTMAB) was compared. The affinities of sorbates with original bentonite were extremely weak and similar (sorption coefficient (K(d))=0.41-0.94 mL/g) regardless of their properties and structures. Sorption was dramatically enhanced by 100CTMAB due to strong retention of CTMA(+)-derived organic phase and the exposed-siloxane surfaces. The resultant K(d) increased by 5360, 780, 40 and 200 times, respectively, for naphthalene, p-nitrotoluene, nitrobenzene and m-dinitrobenzene, reversed with their aqueous solubility. The presence of K(+) promoted sorption of nitroaromatic compounds (50-400 times). The enhanced-mechanism for nitrobenzene at low concentrations and p-nitrotoluene was derived mainly from weak van der Waals interaction between aromatic rings and siloxane surfaces, while for nitrobenzene at high concentrations and m-dinitrobenzene the mechanisms were attributed to primary complexation of -NO(2) group with K(+) and then strong interactions by electron donor-acceptor. Sorption of m-dinitrobenzene enhanced linearly with K(+) concentrations of 0.005-0.20 mol/L, and overshadowed the role of 100CTMAB when K(+)>0.5 mol/L. These will eventually facilitate the application of modified-bentonite to abate pollutants in environments.