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PloS One 2023Asthma attacks are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations, and identification of associations with asthma attacks is necessary to improve...
BACKGROUND
Asthma attacks are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations, and identification of associations with asthma attacks is necessary to improve public awareness and the timely delivery of medical interventions.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to identify feature importance of factors associated with asthma in a representative population of US adults.
METHODS
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a modern, nationally representative cohort, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES 2017-2020). All adult patients greater than 18 years of age (total of 7,922 individuals) with information on asthma attacks were included in the study. Univariable regression was used to identify significant nutritional covariates to be included in a machine learning model and feature importance was reported. The acquisition and analysis of the data were authorized by the National Center for Health Statistics Ethics Review Board.
RESULTS
7,922 patients met the inclusion criteria in this study. The machine learning model had 55 out of a total of 680 features that were found to be significant on univariate analysis (P<0.0001 used). In the XGBoost model the model had an Area Under the Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve (AUROC) = 0.737, Sensitivity = 0.960, NPV = 0.967. The top five highest ranked features by gain, a measure of the percentage contribution of the covariate to the overall model prediction, were Octanoic Acid intake as a Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) (gm) (Gain = 8.8%), Eosinophil percent (Gain = 7.9%), BMXHIP-Hip Circumference (cm) (Gain = 7.2%), BMXHT-standing height (cm) (Gain = 6.2%) and HS C-Reactive Protein (mg/L) (Gain 6.1%).
CONCLUSION
Machine Learning models can additionally offer feature importance and additional statistics to help identify associations with asthma attacks.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Nutrition Surveys; Asthma; Machine Learning; Cohort Studies
PubMed: 37992024
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288903 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Nov 2023Screening of herbal plants for various therapeutic properties is the hour as it shows promising activity. Scientific evidence of the pharmacological activity of the...
BACKGROUND
Screening of herbal plants for various therapeutic properties is the hour as it shows promising activity. Scientific evidence of the pharmacological activity of the plant strengthens the traditional application of plants.
METHODS
Rose flowers (Rosa chinensis) were procured and grounded into a coarse powder. The DNA was isolated from rose flower and molecular identification was performed by rbcL-BF and rbcL-724R primers. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by using disc and agar diffusion methods and the anti-cancer effect of the rose flower extract (RE) was examined using MTT assay in lung cancer cell line. The mechanism of cell death induced by RE was qualitatively measured using Acridine orange/Ethidium bromide staining and Hoechst staining. GC-MS analysis was performed using GC-MS-5975C.
RESULT
The RE showed potent antimicrobial activity against various ATCC cultures. The rose extract strongly inhibits the growth of ESBL resistant organism along with inhibition of biofilm formation in the ESBL resistant organism. The extract caused apoptotic and necrotic cell death in lung cancer cells. GC-MS analysis demonstrated the presence of several biologically active compounds such as Clindamycin, Phytol, Octanoic acid, and Stigmasterol which might be the reason for the therapeutic properties of the plant.
CONCLUSION
This study shows the antimicrobial and biofilm inhibition activity against the clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumonia. The study shows the cytotoxic and apoptotic activity in A549 cancer cell line. Thus, the plant may act as a potent antimicrobial drug against resistant strains.
Topics: Humans; Rosa; Lung Neoplasms; Plant Extracts; Acetone; Anti-Infective Agents; A549 Cells
PubMed: 37950173
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04222-2 -
Toxicology Dec 2023In humans, serum testosterone (T) is largely bound to the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and human serum albumin (hSA), resulting in a 2-3 % of unbound or "free"...
In vitro binding analysis of legacy-linear and new generation-cyclic perfluoro-alkyl substances on sex hormone binding globulin and albumin, suggests low impact on serum hormone kinetics of testosterone.
In humans, serum testosterone (T) is largely bound to the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and human serum albumin (hSA), resulting in a 2-3 % of unbound or "free" active quote (FT). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS), are recognized to interfere with the hormonal axes, but the possible impact on the FT quote has not been addressed so far. Here we investigated the possible competition of two acknowledged PFAS molecules on T binding to SHBG and hSA. In particular, perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) and acetic acid, 2,2-difluoro-2-((2,2,4,5-tetrafluoro-5(trifluoromethoxy)-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)oxy)-ammonium salt (1:1) (C6O4) were used as, respectively, legacy-linear and new-generation-cyclic PFASs. Human recombinant SHBG 30-234 domain (SHBG), produced in HEK293-F cells, and delipidated recombinant hSA were used as in vitro protein models. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) and tryptophan fluorescence quencing (TFQ) were used to evaluate the binding modes of T and PFAS to SHBG and hSA. ITC revealed the binding of T to SHBG with a K of 44 ± 2 nM whilst both PFOA and C6O4 showed no binding activity. Results were confirmed by TFQ, since only T modified the fluorescence profile of SHBG. In hSA, TFQ confirmed the binding of T on FA6 site of the protein. A similar binding mode was observed for PFOA but not for C6O4, as further verified by displacement experiments with T. Although both PFASs were previously shown to bind hSA, only PFOA is predicted to possibly compete with T for the binding to hSA. However, on the base of the binding stoichiometry and affinity of PFOA for hSA, this appears unlikely at the blood concentrations of the chemical documented to date.
Topics: Humans; Fluorocarbons; HEK293 Cells; Protein Binding; Serum Albumin, Human; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; Testosterone; Tryptophan
PubMed: 37931871
DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153664 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023A series of petroleum coke (petcoke)-derived solid acid catalysts were prepared via nitric acid treatment with or without ball milling pretreatment. The inherent sulfur...
Preparation of Carbon-Based Solid Acid Catalyst from High-Sulfur Petroleum Coke with Nitric Acid and Ball Milling, and a Computational Evaluation of Inherent Sulfur Conversion Pathways.
A series of petroleum coke (petcoke)-derived solid acid catalysts were prepared via nitric acid treatment with or without ball milling pretreatment. The inherent sulfur in petcoke was converted to sulfonic groups, which were active sites for the esterification of octanoic acid and methanol at 60 °C, with ester yields of 14-43%. More specifically, samples without ball milling treated at 120 °C for 3 h had a total acidity of 4.67 mmol/g, which was 1.6 times that of the samples treated at 80 °C, despite their -SOH acidities being similar (~0.08 mmol/g). The samples treated for 24 h had higher -SOH (0.10 mmol/g) and total acidity (5.25 mmol/g) but not increased catalytic activity. Ball milling increased the defects and exposed aromatic hydrogen groups on petcoke, which facilitated further acid oxidation (0.12 mmol -SOH/g for both materials and total acidity of 5.18 mmol/g and 5.01 mmol/g for BP-N-3/120 and BP-N-8/90, respectively) and an increased ester yield. DFT calculations were used to analyze the pathways of sulfonic acid group formation, and the reaction pathway with NO• was the most thermodynamically and kinetically favourable. The activities of the prepared catalysts were related to the number of -SOH acid sites, the total acidity, and the oxygen content, with the latter two factors having a negative impact.
PubMed: 37894530
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207051 -
Nutrients Oct 2023The deterioration of brain glucose metabolism predates the clinical onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)...
Supplementation of Medium-Chain Triglycerides Combined with Docosahexaenoic Acid Inhibits Amyloid Beta Protein Deposition by Improving Brain Glucose Metabolism in APP/PS1 Mice.
The deterioration of brain glucose metabolism predates the clinical onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) positively improve brain glucose metabolism and decrease the expression of AD-related proteins. However, the effects of the combined intervention are unclear. The present study explored the effects of the supplementation of MCTs combined with DHA in improving brain glucose metabolism and decreasing AD-related protein expression levels in APP/PS1 mice. The mice were assigned into four dietary treatment groups: the control group, MCTs group, DHA group, and MCTs + DHA group. The corresponding diet of the respective groups was fed to mice from the age of 3 to 11 months. The results showed that the supplementation of MCTs combined with DHA could increase serum octanoic acid (C8:0), decanoic acid (C10:0), DHA, and β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) levels; improve glucose metabolism; and reduce nerve cell apoptosis in the brain. Moreover, it also aided with decreasing the expression levels of amyloid beta protein (Aβ), amyloid precursor protein (APP), β-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE1), and presenilin-1 (PS1) in the brain. Furthermore, the supplementation of MCTs + DHA was significantly more beneficial than that of MCTs or DHA alone. In conclusion, the supplementation of MCTs combined with DHA could improve energy metabolism in the brain of APP/PS1 mice, thus decreasing nerve cell apoptosis and inhibiting the expression of Aβ.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Docosahexaenoic Acids; Presenilin-1; Mice, Transgenic; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; Disease Models, Animal; Alzheimer Disease; Brain; Dietary Supplements; Triglycerides
PubMed: 37836528
DOI: 10.3390/nu15194244 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023Cider flavor has a very important impact on the quality. Solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) combined with gas...
Cider flavor has a very important impact on the quality. Solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) combined with gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) tested different kinds of non- yeasts and () co-inoculated for the fermentation of cider to determine differences in aroma material, and the determination of odor activity value (OAV) is applied less frequently in research. Through , , , and , four different strains of non- yeast fermented cider, and it was found that, in both the chemical composition and flavor of material things, compared with monoculture-fermented cider using , all differences were significant. Co-inoculated fermentation significantly improved the flavor and taste of cider. As in the volatile compounds of OVA > 1, octanoic acid (Sc 633.88 μg/L, co-inoculation fermented group 955.49 μg/L) provides vegetable cheese fragrance and decanoic acid, ethyl ester (Sc 683.19 μg/L, co-inoculation fermented group 694.98 μg/L) a creamy fruity fragrance, etc., and the average content increased after co-inoculated fermentation. Phenylethyl alcohol, which can produce a rose scent, was relatively abundant in cider samples and varied greatly among the groups. Moreover, the contents of ethyl lactate and 1-butanol in the Sc+Rm (ciders fermented by and ) were the highest of all of the cider samples. Different types of non- yeast produced cider with different flavor characteristics. This study demonstrates that different species of non- yeast do have an important impact on the characteristics of cider and that co-inoculation with non- yeast and for cider fermentation may be a strategy to improve the flavor of cider.
PubMed: 37835218
DOI: 10.3390/foods12193565 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2023The efficacy of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, such as ketogenic diets, for cancer patients is of research interest. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of the...
Ketogenic effects of medium chain triglycerides containing formula and its correlation to breath acetone in healthy volunteers: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, single dose-response study.
The efficacy of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, such as ketogenic diets, for cancer patients is of research interest. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in a case study in which medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or MCT-containing formula (ketogenic formula) was used as a supplement to increase blood ketone bodies. However, little is known about the amounts needed to induce ketogenic effects and about the usefulness of monitoring of breath acetone. To investigate the pharmacokinetics of MCTs and their metabolites, blood ketone bodies and breath acetone, 24 healthy subjects received one of four single oral doses of the ketogenic formula (equivalent to 0, 10, 20, and 30 g of MCTs) under fasting conditions. Total blood ketone bodies, β-hydroxybutyrate, octanoic acid, and decanoic acid were increased in a dose-dependent manner. The ketogenic effect was considered to depend on octanoic and decanoic acids, because a positive correlation was observed between them. A strong positive correlation was also observed between total serum ketone bodies and breath acetone at each time points. Therefore, monitoring breath acetone levels seems a less invasive method to predict blood concentrations of ketone bodies during ketogenic diet therapy. https://rctportal.niph.go.jp/en/detail?trial_id=UMIN000032634, UMIN-CTR UMIN000032634.
PubMed: 37829730
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1224740 -
Toxicology Reports Dec 2023Perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS) are pollutants, whose exposure was associated with altered levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in humans. Here we investigated...
Perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS) are pollutants, whose exposure was associated with altered levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in humans. Here we investigated this clinical outcome in two groups of young male adults residing in areas of respectively low and high environmental exposure to perfluoro-octanoic-acid (PFOA). From the Regional Authority data on pollution areas, 38 not-exposed and 59 exposed age-matched participants were evaluated for serum levels of total cholesterol (Total-Chol), LDL-Chol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-Chol), triglycerides (Tgl) and chromatography quantified PFOA. Human hepato-carcinoma cell line HepG2 was exposed to PFOA or perfluoro-octane-sulfonate (PFOS), as legacy PFAAs, and C6O4 as new generation compound. Fluorimetry was used to evaluate the cell-uptake of labelled-LDL. Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9)-mediated LDL-receptor (LDL-R) degradation and sub-cellular localization of LDL-R were evaluated by western blot analysis. Serum levels of PFOA, were positively and significantly correlated with Total-Chol ( = 0.312, P = 0.002), LDL-Chol ( = 0.333, P = 0.001) and Tgl ( = 0.375, P < 0.001). Participants with high serum LDL-Chol and Tgl levels, according to the cardiovascular risk, were more prevalent in exposed compared to not-exposed subjects (respectively: 23.7% 5.3%, P = 0.023 and 18,6% 0%, P = 0.006). Exposure of HepG2 cells to PFOA or C6O4 100 ng/mL was associated with a significantly lower LDL uptake than controls but no major impact of any PFAAs on PCSK9-mediated LDL-R degradation was observed. Compared to controls, exposure to PFAS showed an unbalanced LDL-R partition between membrane and cytoplasm. Endocytosis inducer sphingosine restored LDL-R partition only in samples exposed to C6O4. These data suggest a novel endocytosis-based mechanism of altered lipid trafficking associated with the exposure to legacy PFAS.
PubMed: 37818225
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2023.09.016 -
Talanta Jan 2024In this paper, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES)-based for liquid phase microextraction (LPME) is proposed for the isolation of different psychoactive substances in...
In this paper, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES)-based for liquid phase microextraction (LPME) is proposed for the isolation of different psychoactive substances in water and biological fluids followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The NADES composition was optimized (L-menthol:octanoic acid, 1:2 M ratio) prior to the study of the extraction conditions such as sample and elution volumes, obtaining up to 16-fold preconcentration factor. Next, the quality parameters were studied including linearity from LOQs (0.0006-0.05 μg L) to 100 μg L, precision values (expressed as relative standard deviation, RSD≤8 %) and recoveries above 70 % in most cases. Certified saliva and serum samples were analyzed by the proposed method to assess the accuracy of the developed procedure, providing values statistically comparable to the certified ones. In addition, the proposed methodology was evaluated by applying green metrics (AGREEprep tool) and the obtained values were compared with those reported for a similar procedure using LPME with common organic solvents such as chloroform or dichloromethane, outperforming them in both cases, which points out the potential of this method from the sustainability point of view.
Topics: Deep Eutectic Solvents; Chromatography, Liquid; Liquid Phase Microextraction; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Solvents; Limit of Detection
PubMed: 37813012
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.125277 -
ACS Omega Oct 2023Oxytetracycline (OTC) is extensively used in veterinary medicine and for growth promotion around the globe. The indiscriminate use of OTC in food-producing animals...
Oxytetracycline (OTC) is extensively used in veterinary medicine and for growth promotion around the globe. The indiscriminate use of OTC in food-producing animals leaves residues in animal products. The presence of these residues in animal products causes economic losses and harmful effects on consumers. Different regulatory bodies set maximum residue limits (MRLs) for different tetracyclines. To avoid harmful effects, there is a need for a simple, fast, and economical method for the screening of animal products. In this study, a fast, economical, and user-friendly lateral-flow immunochromatographic (LFIC) assay based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was developed to detect the presence of OTC residues in biological fluids. AuNPs provided visual results as red lines in 6-15 min. Polyclonal rabbit IgG antibodies were produced using the immunogen of OTC. These antibodies were purified by the combined ammonium sulfate-octanoic acid precipitation method. Antibodies were conjugated to AuNPs as recognition biomolecules. A LFIC strip was optimized using borate buffer spiked with different concentrations of the OTC. The visual limit of detection (LOD) in different biological samples (milk, serum, and urine) was determined using samples spiked with OTC. The LOD was found to be 15 μg/L, which is very low from the MRL (100 μg/L) set by different regulatory authorities. This LFIC strip can be used to detect OTC residues in biological fluids for point-of-care testing (POCT). These strips are easy to use, cost-effective, and portable and provide quick results without the use of laboratory instruments.
PubMed: 37810669
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04759