Identification of volatile organic compounds in muscle tissues of different species based on Headspace-Gas-Chromatography Ion-Mobility spectrometry

Species identification of unknown biological samples is crucial for forensic applications, especially in cases of explosion, disaster accidents, and body mutilation after murdering, as well as poaching, illegal trade in endangered animals, and meat food fraud. In this study, we identified 60 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in fresh skeletal muscle tissues of seven different animal species (cattle, sheep, pigs, rabbits, rats, chickens and carp) and a human dead body by headspace-gas-chromatography ion-mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), and compared their differences by retention time, drift time and molecular weight. The results showed that these VOCs formed different gallery plot fingerprints in the skeletal muscle tissues of the human dead body and seven animal species. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed significantly different fingerprints between these species, and these fingerprints maintained good stability between the species and within the same species. Some VOCs have high species specificity, while VOCs of human fresh muscle tissues from different individual sources have little difference, demonstrating that all tested muscle tissue samples could be distinguished based on different VOCs. HS-GC-IMS has proved to be a rapid, high-throughput, highly sensitive and specific species identification method, which can be used for forensic species identification in criminal cases and disaster accidents, as well as detection in the field of food safety, such as meat fraud and adulteration.     

Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin (SKN) extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum (Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. & Zucc.).MethodsWe first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis. Subsequently, the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN, and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and propidium iodide (PI)/Hoechst double staining experiments. Pyroptosis is defined as gasdermin-mediated programmed necroptosis. To identify the potential pyroptosis machinery, two strategies were utilized that included a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 screening experiment and a pyroptosis reconstitution assay executed by each of the five known gasdermins (GSDMA-E). Moreover, endogenous cleavage was also detected in a panel of tumor cell lines.ResultsCompared with the control, both the LDH release and PI/Hoechst double-staining experiments suggested that SKN induced perforation and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membranes that resulted in pyroptosis in HeLa cells (P = .028 and P = .032, respectively). In addition, the reconstitution assays in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK-293T) cells and endogenous cleavage assays in HeLa cells indicated that the pyroptosis was controlled by GSDME. In addition, we also found SKN could trigger pyroptosis in a panel of tumor cell lines in which the cellular morphologies were proportional to the GSDME expression levels. Additionally, the cleavage of GSDME was also detected, and this was indicative of a similar GSDME-mediated mechanism.ConclusionOur study not only explained the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity of SKN to various tumor cells, but also provided additional information for the potential clinical application of natural naphthoquinone compounds against cancer.     

Occurrence,detection and ecotoxicity studies of selected pharmaceuticals in aqueous ecosystems- a systematic appraisal

Pharmaceutical compounds (PCs) have globally emerged as a significant group of environmental contaminants due to the constant detection of their residues in the environment. The main scope of this review is to fill the void of information on the knowledge on the African occurrence of selected PCs in environmental matrices in comparison with those outside Africa and their respective toxic actions on both aquatic and non-aquatic biota through ecotoxicity bioassays. To achieve this objective, the study focused on commonly used and detected pharmaceutical drugs (residues). Based on the conducted literature survey, Africa has the highest levels of ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, lamivudine, acetaminophen, and diclofenac while Europe has the lowest of all these PC residues in her physical environments. For ecotoxicity bioassays, the few data available are mostly on individual groups of pharmaceuticals whereas there is sparsely available data on their combined forms.     

Redox active or thiol reactive? Optimization of rapid screens to identify less evident nuisance compounds

Compounds that exhibit assay interference or undesirable mechanisms of bioactivity are routinely encountered in assays at various stages of drug discovery. We observed that assays for the investigation of thiol-reactive and redox-active compounds have not been collected in a comprehensive review. Here, we review these assays and subject them to experimental optimization to improve their reliability. We demonstrate the usefulness of our assay cascade by assaying a library of bioactive compounds, chemical probes, and a set of approved drugs. These high-throughput assays should complement the array of wet-lab and in silico assays during the initial stages of hit discovery campaigns to pursue only hit compounds with tractable mechanisms of action.     

中药治疗创伤后应激障碍的研究进展

创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)是指突发性、威胁性或灾难性生活事件导致个体延迟出现和长期持续存在的精神障碍,其临床表现以再度体验创伤为特征,并伴有情绪的易激惹和回避行为。PTSD的发生不仅伴随着行为学指标异常,机制研究表明还表现出神经生物学指标异常。PTSD的发生机制研究多集中在神经内分泌系统、中枢神经系统和免疫系统等方面,主要表现为应激激素、促炎细胞因子、神经递质、神经保护因子的水平异常。中药因其具有多靶点、多成分和多途径的特点,在治疗PTSD方面表现出了许多优势。当前研究表明,多种中药能够改善PTSD模型中动物行为异常、逆转神经生物学指标。其中很多中药复方已经应用于临床并且具有很好的疗效,因此中药治疗PTSD具有广阔的应用前景。但是,尚未有PTSD的专属治疗药物,且尚未完全厘清PTSD的机制。故本文对当前中药治疗PTSD的研究进行综述,并且从治疗的中药种类、作用机制、动物模型等角度,重点阐述PTSD的发生与治疗进展,以期为PTSD的治疗提供参考。     

Antioxidants Properties,Physicochemical, and Sensory Quality Attributes of a New Soy-Based Beverage with Lemongrass and Lime Juice

This work aimed at developing a new soy-based beverage and studying the influence of formulation ingredients on its antioxidants, physicochemical, and sensory properties. For this purpose, mixed beverages with lemongrass, lime juice, and soymilk were formulated. Soy-based beverages showed differences in pH, ratio, and color as compared to mixed beverages without soy. Soymilk increased the phenolics content and the ABTS antioxidant capacity, while lemongrass aqueous extract increased the DPPH antioxidant capacity of soy-based beverages. The new soy-based beverage had good acceptance for all attributes and can be considered a viable alternative source of nutrients and bioactive compounds to consumers.     

Microstructure and Interfacial Reactions of Resistance Brazed Lap Joints between TC4 Titanium Alloy and 304 Stainless Steel Using Metal Powder Interlayers

In the brazing joint between titanium alloy and stainless steel, a lot of Fe-Ti intermetallic compounds (IMCs) can be easily formed to make joints crack. A lap resistance brazing process with metal powder layers on both sides of the filler metal was used to solve this problem. The microstructure and metallurgical behavior of joints was studied through comparative experiments. The result showed that Nb, V and Cr powders and the solder reacted with the base material to form a new phase, which replaced the Ti-Fe brittle phase in the joint. At the same time, metal powder clusters hindered the diffusion of Ti and Fe elements and improved the distribution of new phases. The established atomic reaction model revealed the metallurgical behavior and formation mechanism of the joints. Therefore, the intervening position of the metal powder layer and the multi-reaction zone structure are the main reasons the shear strength of joints is improved.     

Bending Strength of Wood Treated with Propolis Extract and Silicon Compounds

The modification of wood and its treatment with various preservatives may affect its mechanical properties, hence the knowledge of the character changes in wood caused by impregnation is of great importance. Therefore, the aim of the research was to determine the effect of impregnation, with the propolis-silane preparation (EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS) consisting of the propolis extract (EEP) and silicon compounds: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPTMOS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), on the bending strength of treated wood. Moreover, in the study wood treated with components of the propolis-silane formulation was used, namely 70% ethanol, the propolis extract, and silanes (MPTMOS/TEOS). In order to determine whether the impregnation of wood affects its long-term bending, creep tests were performed depending on the humidity. The impregnation of wood with the propolis extract and the propolis-silane preparation (EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS) contributed to the increase in modulus of rapture and work to maximum load values compared to the untreated wood. In dry wood condition, the wood treated with EEP and EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS was characterized by lower modulus of elasticity values than the control samples. In turn, in wet wood condition, wood treated with the propolis-silane preparation showed an increase in the MOE value. Moreover, the impregnation of wood had an influence on the wood creep process under bending loads. The treated wood was characterized by higher relative creep compliance than the untreated wood. The exception was the wood impregnated with EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS, which showed comparable relative creep compliance to the control samples. The presented results indicate that wood treated with a bio-friendly preparation based on propolis and silicon compounds can be used in various application and also in variable humidity conditions.     

基于生物量、活性物质积累和抗氧化能力的当归高海拔种植区域选择

目的以根茎生物量、活性物质含量以及抗氧化能力为指标,选择适宜提高当归品质的高海拔种植区域。方法在严格控制种质、水分和土壤养分的条件下,以不同海拔(2 100、2 500和2 900 m)2年生当归根茎为材料,分别对干质量、活性物质含量以及抗氧化能力进行测定与分析。结果高海拔虽不能促进当归根茎生物量,却显著提高了活性物质的积累量和抗氧化能力;以单株积累量计算,2 900 m未抽薹当归根茎中阿魏酸、可溶性糖、酚和黄酮类含量分别为2 100 m植株的2.06、1.13、1.34和1.15倍;体外抗氧化能力也随海拔升高逐渐增加。综合分析表明,在2 100～2 900 m海拔内,未抽薹当归根茎中活性物质的总积累量(干质量和单株)均随海拔升高逐渐增加。结论提升当归种植海拔高度可显著提高根茎活性物质量;活性物质生物合成与积累受到低温和光照的综合调控。该研究结果将为提高当归产量和品质以及大面积种植栽培提供理论基础与依据。