Age-associated declined function of endothelial progenitor cells and its correlation with plasma IL-18 or IL-23 concentrations in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) persists to be prevalent in the elderly with a dismal prognosis. The capacity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is reduced with aging. Nevertheless, the influence of aging on the functionality of EPCs in STEMI is not fully understood. Method: This study enrolled 20 younger STEMI patients and 21 older STEMI patients. We assessed the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events Risk (GRACE) scores in two groups. Then, we detected EPC migration, proliferation, adhesion, and plasma interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-23 concentrations in two groups. In addition, we analyzed the interconnection between age, EPC function, plasma IL-18 and IL-23 concentrations, and GRACE or TIMI scores in STEMI patients. Result: GRACE and TIMI scores in older STEMI patients were higher than in younger STEMI patients, whereas EPC function declined. GRACE and TIMI scores were found to have an inverse relationship with the EPC function. In older STEMI patients, plasma concentrations of IL-18 and IL-23 increased. Plasma IL-18 and IL-23 concentrations were adversely connected to EPC capacity and positively related to GRACE and TIMI scores. Moreover, age was positively correlated with plasma IL-18 or IL-23 concentrations, as well as GRACE or TIMI scores. However, age was adversely correlated with EPC function. Conclusion: In patients with STEMI, aging results in declined EPC function, which may be associated with inflammatory cytokines. The current investigation may offer new perception about mechanism and therapeutic targets of aging STEMI.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RS20D Alleviates Male Reproductive Toxicity Induced by Pubertal Exposure to Di-n-butyl Phthalate and Mono-n-butyl Phthalate.

Phthalate acid esters (PAEs) and their metabolites, such as di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), are known to cause male reproductive damage. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RS20D has demonstrated the ability to remove both DBP and MBP in vitro, suggesting its potential as a detoxifying agent against these compounds. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of RS20D on DBP or MBP-induced male reproductive toxicity in adolescent rats. Oral administration of RS20D significantly mitigated the histological damage to the testes caused by MBP or DBP, restored sperm concentration, morphological abnormalities, and the proliferation index in MBP-exposed rats, and partially reversed spermatogenic damage in DBP-exposed rats. Furthermore, RS20D restored serum levels of estradiol (E2) and testosterone, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in DBP-exposed rats, significantly increased testosterone levels in MBP-exposed rats, and restored copper (Cu) concentrations in the testes after exposure to DBP or MBP. Additionally, RS20D effectively modulated the intestinal microbiota in DBP-exposed rats and partially ameliorated dysbiosis induced by MBP, which may be associated with the alleviation of reproductive toxic effects induced by DBP or MBP. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that RS20D administration can alleviate male reproductive toxicity and gut dysbacteriosis induced by DBP or MBP exposure, providing a dietary strategy for the bioremediation of PAEs and their metabolites.

The association of sleep duration and leukocyte telomere length in middle-aged and young-old adults: A cross-sectional study of UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: The relationships between sleep duration and aging-associated diseases are intricate. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of aging, while the association of sleep duration and LTL is unclear. METHODS: The 310,091 study participants from UK Biobank were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis was firstly performed to assess the nonlinear relationship between sleep duration and LTL. Sleep duration was then categorized into three groups: <7 h (short sleep duration), 7-8 h (reference group), and >8 h (long sleep duration) and multiple linear regression was applied to analyze the association of short sleep and long sleep duration with LTL. We further performed subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, chronotype and snoring. RESULTS: RCS showed an inverted J-shaped relationship between sleep duration and LTL. Compared with the reference group, the inverse association of long sleep duration and LTL was statistically significant in fully-adjusted model (P = 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that this association was more apparent in people over 50 years (51-60 y: P = 0.002; >60 y: P = 0.005), in men (P = 0.022), and in people preferred evening chronotype (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared with participants sleeping 7-8 h, those sleep longer than 8 h had shorter LTL in middle-aged and young-old adults. The negative association between long sleep duration and LTL was more apparent in older people, in men, and in people preferred evening chronotype.

Conjoint analysis of clinical, imaging, and pathological features of schistosomiasis and colorectal cancer.

This study aims to examine and compare clinical, radiological, and pathological data between colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with and without schistosomiasis and uncover distinctive CRC characteristics when accompanied by schistosomiasis. This retrospective study is based on data collected from 341 patients diagnosed with CRC post-surgery and pathology. Of these patients, 101 (Group A) were diagnosed with colorectal cancer co-occurring with schistosomiasis (CRC-S), while 240 patients (Group B) were diagnosed with colorectal cancer without concurrent schistosomiasis (CRC-NS). Both groups were compared and analyzed based on their clinical data, imaging-based TNM staging, lymph node metastasis, nerve invasion, vascular cancer thrombus, and histopathological differentiation. A Chi-squared test revealed a significant difference in gender distribution between the patients with CRC-S (Group A) and CRC-NS (Group B), with a p -value of 0.043 and χ2 = 4.115. Specifically, a higher incidence rate was observed among males in Group A. There was a difference in the overall distribution of TNM staging between the two groups (p = 0.034, χ2 = 6.764). After pairwise comparison, a statistically significant difference was observed in the T3 stage (p <0.05). The proportion of the T3 stage in Group A was significantly higher than that in Group B, indicating certain advantages. There was a difference in postoperative histopathological grading between the two groups (p = 0.005, χ2 = 10.626). After pairwise comparison, a statistically significant difference was observed between the well-differentiated adenocarcinoma and the moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (p <0.05), with a higher proportion of welldifferentiated patients in Group A compared to Group B. There was no significant difference in age, lymph node metastasis, nerve invasion, and vascular invasion between the two groups of patients (p > 0.05). Among the 101 patients with CRC-S, 87 (86%) showed linear calcification on CT imaging. Patients with CRC-S are mainly male, with tumor staging mostly in the middle stage, high tumor differentiation, and low malignancy. CT imaging can help identify the presence of lumps and linear calcification indicative of schistosome deposits. MRI can early clarify TNM staging and determine the presence of lymph node metastasis and nerve and vascular invasion.

Risk factors associated with the prevalence of neck and shoulder pain among high school students: a cross-sectional survey in China.

BACKGROUND: After the COVID-19 outbreak, many Chinese high school students have increased their dependence on electronic devices for studying and life, which may affect the incidence of neck and shoulder pain (NSP) in Chinese adolescents. METHODS: To evaluate the prevalence of NSP in high school students and its associated risk factors during COVID-19, a survey was conducted among 5,046 high school students in Shanghai, Qinghai, Henan and Macao during the second semester and summer vacation of the 2019-2020 academic year. The questionnaire included questions regarding demographic characteristics, the prevalence of NSP and lifestyle factors such as sedentary behavior, poor posture and electronic device usage. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the possible influencing factors for neck and shoulder pain. RESULTS: A total of 4793 valid questionnaires (95.0%) were collected. The results indicated that the prevalence of NSP was 23.7% among high school students. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender (P < 0.05, OR = 1.82), grade (P < 0.05, range OR 1.40-1.51) and subject selection (P < 0.05, range OR 0.49-0.68) were risk factors for NSP in high school students. Sedentary behavior (P < 0.05, range OR 1.74-2.36), poor posture (P < 0.05, range OR 1.19-2.56), backpack weight (P < 0.05, range OR 1.17-1.88), exercise style and frequency (P < 0.05, range OR 1.18-1.31; P < 0.05, range OR 0.76-0.79, respectively), and the time spent using electronic devices (P < 0.05, range OR 1.23-1.38)had a significant correlation with NSP in high school students. CONCLUSIONS: NSP is currently very common among high school students during the outbreak of COVID-19. Sedentary behavior, poor posture and other factors have a great impact on the occurrence of NSP in high school students. Education regarding healthy lifestyle choices should be advocated for to decrease NSP among high school students, such as more physical activity, changing poor postures and reducing the amount of time spent using electronic devices.

Phenotypic and genomic analysis of inulin consumption by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains from Sichuan pickle.

AIMS: To investigate the capability, properties, and molecular mechanism of inulin fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from Sichuan pickle. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 79 LAB strains were purified from 30 aged Sichuan pickle brine samples, and only 21 Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains (26.58%, 21/79) derived from 15 samples grew well through utilizing inulin as a carbon source. The fermentation tests through using long-chain inulin (lc-inulin) as a carbon source showed that only 6 L. plantarum strains grew well, while other 15 strains could only utilize short-chain oligofructose (FOS), and thin-layer chromatography analysis evidenced a strain specificity of inulin consumption patterns. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum YT041 is a vigorous inulin fermenter, and whole genome sequencing data revealed that sacPTS1 and fosRABCDXE operons might be associated with the fermentation of FOS and lc-inulin, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The phenotype of inulin consumption is commonly present in LAB from Sichuan pickle, which is strain-specific and largely depends on their specific ecological niche and degree of polymerization.

Microbiota affects mitochondria and immune cell infiltrations via alternative polyadenylation during postnatal heart development.

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the significant impact of microbiota on heart development. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a crucial mechanism for gene expression regulation and has been implicated in postnatal heart development. Nonetheless, whether microbiota can influence postnatal heart development through the regulation of APA remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted APA sequencing on heart tissues collected from specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice and germ-free (GF) mice at three different developmental stages: within the first 24 h after birth (P1), 7-day-old SPF mice, and 7-day-old GF mice. This approach allowed us to obtain a comprehensive genome-wide profile of APA sites in the heart tissue samples. In this study, we made a significant observation that GF mice exhibited noticeably longer 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) lengths. Furthermore, we confirmed significant alterations in the 3' UTR lengths of mitochondria-related genes, namely Rala, Timm13, and Uqcc3. Interestingly, the GF condition resulted in a marked decrease in mitochondrial cristae density and a reduction in the level of Tomm20 in postnatal hearts. Moreover, we discovered a connection between Rala and Src, which further implicated their association with other differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Notably, most of the DEGs were significantly downregulated in GF mice, with the exceptions being Thbs1 and Egr1. Importantly, the GF condition demonstrated a correlation with a lower infiltration of immune cells, whereby the levels of resting NK cells, Th17 cells, immature dendritic cells, and plasma cells in GF mice were comparable to those observed in P1 mice. Furthermore, we established significant correlations between these immune cells and Rala as well as the related DEGs. Our findings clearly indicated that microbiota plays a vital role in postnatal heart development by affecting APA switching, mitochondria and immune cell infiltrations.

The improvement of Hovenia acerba-sorghum co-fermentation in terms of microbial diversity, functional ingredients, and volatile flavor components during Baijiu fermentation.

The quality of Baijiu was largely affected by raw materials, which determine the flavor and taste. In the present study, organic acids, polyphenols, volatile flavor components and microbial community in Hovenia acerba-sorghum co-fermented Baijiu (JP1) and pure sorghum-fermented Baijiu (JP2) were comprehensively analyzed. Organic acids, polyphenols and volatile flavor components in JP1 were more abundant than JP2. The abundance and diversity of bacteria and fungi in JP1 was higher than that in JP2 in the early stage of fermentation, but presented opposite trend in the middle and late stages. Leuconostoc, Lentilactobacillus and Issatchenkia were dominant genera in JP1. Whereas, Cronobacter, Pediococcus and Saccharomyces occupied the main position in JP2. Lentilactobacillus and Issatchenkia were positively related to most of organic acids and polyphenols. Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Cronobacter, Pediococcus, Brucella, Lentilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, Saccharomycopsis, Wickerhamomyces, Aspergillus, Thermomyces and unclassified_f-Dipodascaccae were associated with the main volatile flavor components. The main metabolic pathways in two JPs exhibited the variation trend of first decreasing and then increasing, and the metabolism activity in JP1 were higher than that in JP2. The results demonstrated the introduction of Hovenia acerba improved the functional ingredients and volatile flavor components, which is helpful for the quality promotion of Baijiu. This study identified the key microorganisms and discussed their effect on organic acids, polyphenols and volatile flavor components during the fermentation of Baijiu with different raw materials, providing a scientific basis for the development and production of high-quality Baijiu.

Prospects and hot spots for mammalian target of rapamycin in the field of neuroscience from 2002 to 2021.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an important molecule that regulates cell metabolism, growth, and proliferation in the nervous system. This study aimed to present the current study hot spots and predict the future development trend of the mTOR pathway in neurologic diseases using bibliometrics. We referred to the publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database. VOSviewer and CiteSpace programs were used to evaluate countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and citations showing the current study focus and predicting the future trend of mTOR in neuroscience. The search date ended on 19 June 2022, and there were 3,029 articles on mTOR in neuroscience from 2002 to 2021. Visual analysis showed that although the number of publications declined slightly in some years, the number of publications related to mTOR generally showed an upward trend, reaching its peak in 2021. It had the largest number of publications in the United States. Keywords and literature analysis showed that protein synthesis regulation, ischemia, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation may be hot spots and future directions of the nervous system in mTOR studies. Recently, the most studied neurological diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and depression, which are still worthy of further studies by researchers in the future. This can provide a useful reference for future researchers to study mTOR further in the field of neuroscience.

Aging-Related Endothelial Progenitor Cell Dysfunction and Its Association with IL-17 and IL-23 in HFmrEF Patients.

Background: Aging is an independent risk factor for heart failure (HF), and endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) function decreases with aging. Here, we further investigated whether age has a detrimental effect on circulating EPC function in HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) and its relationship with systemic inflammation. Methods: 58 HFmrEF patients were recruited. The adhesive, migrative, and proliferative activities of circulating EPCs, MAGGIC scores, and plasma interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 levels of these patients were assessed. Results: Older patients with HFmrEF had higher MAGGIC scores and lower circulating EPC adhesion, migration, and proliferation than younger patients. The similar tendency was observed in plasma IL-17 and IL-23 levels. The EPC functions were negatively associated with MAGGIC scores and plasma IL-17 or IL-23 levels. Conclusions: In patients with HFmrEF, aging leads to attenuated circulating EPC function, which is correlated with disease severity and systemic inflammation. The present investigation provides some novel insights into the mechanism and intervention targets of HFmrEF.

miR-340-5p Alleviates Oxidative Stress Injury by Targeting MyD88 in Sepsis-Induced Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is a sort of severe disease in the intensive care unit. This research focuses on exploring the influence of miR-340-5p on SIC and its specific mechanism. Methods: Mice were administered with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to construct a SIC animal model. Mice were intramyocardially injected with Adenoassociated Virus- (AAV-) 9 containing the miR-340-5p precursor to make the miR-340-5p overexpression in the myocardium. The expression level of myocardial miR-340-5p was evaluated by qRT-PCR. The cardiac function was measured by echocardiography, the myocardial morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the oxidative stress level was detected by 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) immunohistochemical staining and malondialdehyde (MDA) assay in mice. The cells were pretreated with miR-340-5p mimic, mimic-NC, miR-340-5p inhibitor, inhibitor-NC, MyD88 siRNA, or si-NC and then administered with LPS or PBS. The cell viability was measured with the CCK-8 assay. The level of intracellular oxidative stress was evaluated using reactive oxygen species (ROS), MDA, and glutathione (GSH) detection. The MyD88 level was assessed via Western blotting analysis. The interaction of miR-340-5p with the MyD88 mRNA was confirmed via dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. Results: The miR-340-5p overexpression partially alleviated the increase of the MyD88 level, impairment of cardiac function, and oxidative stress injury in the SIC animal model. In the SIC cell model, miR-340-5p mimic pretreatment partially relieved oxidative stress injury, while the miR-340-5p inhibitor had the opposite effect. Besides, the miR-340-5p mimic and inhibitor could reduce and further increase the MyD88 level in the SIC cell model, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down experiments confirmed the interaction between the MyD88 mRNA and miR-340-5p. Finally, it was found that MyD88 siRNA pretreatment also partially alleviates the oxidative stress injury in the SIC cell model. Conclusion: In sum, our study demonstrated that miR-340-5p can improve myocardial oxidative stress injury by targeting MyD88 in SIC.

Quantification of heavy metals and health risk assessment in Sichuan pickle.

Sichuan pickle is one of popular traditional fermented foods in China. However, the contamination of heavy metals in Sichuan pickle, particularly home-made Sichuan pickle and aged pickle brine, is little known. Therefore, the content of trace (Cr, Cu, and Zn) and toxic elements (As, Pb, and Cd) in Sichuan industrial pickle (SIP), Sichuan home-made pickle (SHP), and aged pickle brine collected from local markets and families in Sichuan province, respectively, was detected by inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) and the health risk was assessed by target hazard quotients including target hazard quotient (THQ) and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). Consequently, the mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, and Cd were 0.122, 0.540, 2.516, 0.023, 0.015, and 0.106 mg/kg in SIP and 0.071, 0.364, 2.698, 0.014, 0.015, and 0.289 mg/kg in SHP, respectively, lower than the maximum allowable concentrations set by Chinese regulations, except for Cr and Cd in few samples. Principal component analysis of the heavy metal content could obviously distinguish between SIP and SHP. The content of As, Pb, and Cd in leaf pickles was significantly higher than that in pickles fermented with other types of vegetables. A significant enrichment of heavy metals in aged pickle brine over 10 years was observed, but pickle jars had no significant effect on heavy metal content in aged pickle brine. The intake of heavy metals through daily consumption of SIP and SHP was at a safe level, whereas the TTHQ of leaf pickle was 1.006, indicating a potential health risk. In conclusion, this study provided fundamental data for food safety assurance of Sichuan pickle. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Sichuan pickle is one of popular traditional fermented foods in China. In the present study, we investigated the contamination of heavy metals in Sichuan pickles by detecting the content of Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb in Sichuan industrial pickle, Sichuan home-made pickle, and aged pickle brine, and estimated the health risk to local residents. This study can provide a reference for the safety risk of Sichuan industrial and home-made pickle in terms of heavy metal contamination, and enhance the food safety in the processing, production, and consumption of Sichuan pickle in local families and pickle industry.

Cell components, interaction types and functional groups involved in the in vitro binding of bisphenol A by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RS20D and DL7X.

AIMS: The current study aimed to evaluate the capacity of two Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains to remove Bisphenol A (BPA) and to determine the preliminary removal mechanisms underlying this process. METHODS AND RESULTS: The BPA removal capacity of L. plantarum RS20D and DL7X was assessed by HPLC analysis. The effect of various treatments (physical, chemical and enzymatic) on two strains were studied to understand which interaction types worked. The different cellular components of them were also subjected to binding assays. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to identify the functional groups related to the BPA-binding process. Results show that various treatments enhanced the binding capacity of two strains, the effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate was the most outstanding (p < 0.05). Hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions likely occurred. Peptidoglycans showed the highest binding capability, protoplasts and teichoic acids might also exert a binding effect. -OH, C=O, -CH, -NH, C-N, C-O and P=O participated in BPA binding by the two L. plantarum lines. CONCLUSIONS: Peptidoglycans, protoplasts and teichoic acid played a vital role in the binding of BPA. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our results provided a theoretical foundation for developing effective dietary strategies with foodborne L. plantarum to remove food contaminants.

Global genome and comparative transcriptomic analysis reveal the inulin consumption strategy of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum QS7T.

Sichuan pickle is a natural combination of probiotics and dietary fibers, in which a strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum QS7T was found to be capable of efficiently metabolizing inulin. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of inulin consumption by the strain QS7T is unclear. Therefore, this study firstly investigated the metabolic characteristics of inulin in the strain QS7T, and the results showed it could grow very well on the medium containing inulin as a carbon source (maximum OD600 nm, 1.891 ± 0.028) and degrade both short-chain oligofructose and long-chain fructan components through thin layer chromatography analysis. Genomic sequencing and analysis revealed a high percentage of functional genes associated with carbohydrate transport and metabolism, particularly glycoside hydrolase (GH) genes responsible for hydrolysing carbohydrates, within the genome of the strain QS7T. Furthermore, comparative transcriptomic analysis of L. plantarum QS7T in response to inulin or glucose indicated that functional genes associated with inulin consumption including several genes encoding PTS sugar transporters and two predicted GH32 family genes encoding beta-fructofuranosidase and beta-fructosidase were significantly up-regulated by inulin compared to the gene expression on glucose. In conclusion, we obtained a mechanistic understanding of interplay between probiotic L. plantarum QS7T derived from Sichuan pickle and natural dietary fiber, inulin; totally two operons including a sacPTS1 operon responsible for metabolizing short-chain oligofructose primarily in the cytoplasm and a fos operon responsible for extracellularly degrading all moderate and long-chain fructan components linked to inulin consumption by L. plantarum QS7T.

A novel propylene glycol alginate gel based colorimetric tube for rapid detection of nitrite in pickled vegetables.

The detection of nitrite is of great significance because it is closely related to food safety. In this work, a rapid colorimetric method was developed for nitrite detection based on the reaction of propylene glycol alginate (PGA) gel interface. In the reaction of nitrite and 4-Aminoacetophenone, diazo compound formed, which could be further transformed to purplish red compound by reacting with N-(1-Naphthyl)ethylenediamine (NED). Nitrite exhibited a linear relationship with the grayscale of the gel interface in the range of 0.3-9 µg mL-1 with a detection limit of 0.3 µg mL-1. The method was applied to detect nitrite in four types of pickled vegetables with recovery of 80.9-119.02% and relative standard deviation of 0.11-6.73%. Notably, the detection process can be accomplished within 5 min. The proposed colorimetric method exhibited advantages of simplicity, quickness and sensitivity, showing potential application prospects for the real-time and on-site detection of nitrite in pickled vegetables.

Passive sampling of chlorophenols in water and soils using diffusive gradients in thin films based on ß-cyclodextrin polymers.

Chlorophenols (CPs) have been listed as priority control pollutants because of their high toxicity and wide range. An In-situ monitoring technique using diffusive gradients in thin films based on porous ß-cyclodextrin polymers as binding materials (CDP-DGT), was established to monitor four typical CPs, namely, 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP), 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP), 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) in water and soils. The performance of CDP-DGT are stable under the conditions of pH 3.5-9.3, ionic strength 0.001-0.500 mol L-1 and dissolved organic matter concentration 0-20 mol L-1. The adsorption capacities of CDP-DGT for 4-CP, 2,4-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP were 57.80 µg cm-2, 98.82 µg cm-2, 95.69 µg cm-2 and 98.91 µg cm-2, respectively. The time-average weighted concentrations of four CPs determined by CDP-DGT at Sanjiangkou wharf (Yangtze river, China) were consistent with the results of grab sampling, indicating the feasibility of CDP-DGT application in actual water. In addition, the distribution of CPs in the red soil of Kunming and paddy soil of Yixing were also studied by CDP-DGT, and the desorption kinetics in the two soils were analyzed with the DIFS model. The higher the soil organic matter content is, the more CPs are distributed in the soil solid phase. CPs in both soils can be partially resupplied to soil solution from the soil solid phase and the higher the partition coefficient for labile CPs is, the stronger the supplement capacity is.

Prebiotics Inulin Metabolism by Lactic Acid Bacteria From Young Rabbits.

Inulin as a commercial prebiotic could selectively promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Whether LAB in rabbit gut possesses the capability to metabolize and utilize inulin is little known. Therefore, this study recovered 94 LAB strains from neonate rabbits and found that only 29% (28/94) could metabolize inulin with both species- and strain-specificity. The most vigorous inulin-degrading strain, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei YT170, could efficiently utilize both short-chain and long-chain components through thin-layer chromatography analysis. From genomic analysis, a predicted fosRABCDXE operon encoding putative cell wall-anchored fructan ß-fructosidase, five fructose-transporting proteins and a pts1BCA operon encoding putative ß-fructofuranosidase and sucrose-specific IIBCA components were linked to long-chain and short-chain inulin utilization respectively. This study provides a mechanistic rationale for effect of inulin administration on rabbits and lays a foundation for synbiotic applications aimed at modulating the intestinal microbiota of young rabbits.

Hypofunction of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Aggravated Severity in Elderly Male Patients With Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Its Association With Systemic Inflammation.

Background: Aging patients easily suffer from non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Our previous studies revealed declined function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the elderly. However, the impact of aging on EPC function and severity in male NSTEMI patients and its possible mechanism is unclear until now. Methods: We measured the circulating EPC function including migration, proliferation, and adhesion in aging or young male patients with NSTEMI. The GRACE and TIMI risk score were evaluated. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) were also detected in all patients. Results: Compared with the young group, the old male patients with NSTEMI had higher GRACE score and TIMI score and decreased function of circulating EPCs. EPC function was negatively correlated with GRACE score and TIMI score. IL-6 and IL-17 level were higher in the old group than those in the young group. There was a significant negative correlation between EPC function and IL-6 or IL-17. Moreover, IL-6 and IL-17 positively correlated with GRACE and TIMI score. Age was positively related with GRACE or TIMI score and plasma level of IL-6 or IL-17, but inversely correlated with EPC function. Conclusions: The current study firstly illustrates that the age-related decrement in EPC function is related to the severity of NSTEMI in male patients, which may be connected with systemic inflammation. These findings provide novel insights into the pathogenetic mechanism and intervention target of aging NSTEMI.

Current insights into the microbial degradation for pyrethroids: strain safety, biochemical pathway, and genetic engineering.

As a biologically inspired insecticide, pyrethroids (PYRs) exert evident toxic side effects on non-target organisms. PYRs and their general toxic intermediate 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) have shown high detection rates/levels in human beings recently, for which diet was identified as the major exposure route. Microbial mineralization has emerged as a versatile strategy in addressing such escalating concern. Herein, PYRs and 3-PBA biodegradation with regards to strain safety, application and surfactant were summarized. Numerous PYRs-degrading microbes have been reported yet with a minority focused on 3-PBA. Most isolates were from contaminated sites while several microbial food cultures (MFCs) have been investigated. MFCs such as Bacillus spp. and Aspergillus spp. that dominate in PYRs-degrading microbial pools are applicable candidates for agricultural by-products detoxification during the postharvest process. Subsequently, we discussed committed degradation steps, wherein hydrolase responsible for PYRs ester linkage cleavage and oxygenase for 3-PBA diphenyl ether bond rupture play vital roles. Finally, comprehensive information of the key enzyme genes is outlined along with methodologies concerning gene cloning. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP) is competent for diphenyl ether scission. Newly-developed omics has become a feasible gene and enzyme mining technology. To achieve PYRs mineralization in feed and food commodities, the screening of MFCs rich in related enzymes and the construction of MFCs-derived genetically modified microbes (GMMs) exhibit great potential considering the safety issues.

Epitranscriptomic profile of Lactobacillus agilis and its adaptation to growth on inulin.

OBJECTIVE: Ribonucleic acids (RNA) are involved in many cellular functions. In general, RNA is made up by only four different ribonucleotides. The modifications of RNA (epitranscriptome) can greatly enhance the structural diversity of RNA, which in turn support some of the RNA functions. To determine whether the epitranscriptome of a specific probiotic is associated with its adaptation to the source of energy, Lactobacillus agilis (YZ050) was selected as a model and its epitranscriptome was profiled and compared by using mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The L. agilis epitranscriptome (minus rRNA modifications) consists of 17 different RNA modifications. By capturing the L. agilis cells during exponential growth, reproducible profiling was achieved. In a comparative study, the standard source of energy (glucose) in the medium was substituted by a prebiotic inulin, and a downward trend in the L. agilis epitranscriptome was detected. This marks the first report on a system-wide variation of a bacterial epitranscriptome that resulted from adapting to an alternative energy source. No correlation was found between the down-regulated RNA modifications and the expression level of corresponding writer genes. Whereas, the expression level of a specific exonuclease gene, RNase J1, was detected to be higher in cells grown on inulin.