Journal of Food and Drug Analysis最新文献

Bitter acids (BA) are main component of Humulus lupulus L. (hops). They are known for beer brewing and have various biological and pharmacological properties, especially the bone-protective effect confirmed by our previous in vivo study. Here we aimed to elucidate the anti-senior osteoporosis (SOP) effect of BA on osteoblasts and explore its underlying mechanism. In vitro SOP model was established by D-galactose (D-gal) injured osteoblasts, and the bone formation markers and apoptosis level were measured. mCherry-EGFP-LC3 adenovirus infection and autophagic markers including beclin1 and LC3 proteins were detected to investigate the autophagy level in osteoblasts. To further verify whether BA play the bone-protective role through regulating autophagy, the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA was used, and the cell proliferation, ALP activity, bone mineralization, apoptosis rate and SA-β-gal staining areas were measured. Finally, the protein expressions of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway were detected by Western blotting, and AKT agonist SC79 and mTOR agonist MHY1485 were used to further study the mechanism of BA on AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy. The results showed that BA stimulated osteoblastic differentiation and inhibited apoptosis proteins Bcl-2/Bax in D-gal-treated osteoblasts. BA also increased the expression of autophagic markers beclin1 and LC3-II/LC3-I in D-gal-treated osteoblasts. mCherry-EGFP-LC3 autophagic double fluorescent adenovirus showed BA promoted the generation of autolysosomes and autophagosomes in D-gal-injured osteoblasts, indicating that BA might prevent osteoblastic bone loss through activating autophagy. Autophagy inhibitor 3-MA was used to further verify whether BA played the bone-protective role via regulating autophagy. The results revealed the promotion effects of BA on proliferation, ALP activity, and mineralized nodule formation in D-gal-injured osteoblasts were eliminated after autophagy blocking with 3-MA, and the inhibitory effects of BA on apoptosis rate and SA-β-gal staining areas were also eliminated. Moreover, BA reduced the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTOR, p70S6K, and 4EBP in AKT/mTOR pathway, and the promotion of BA on the autophagic markers was blocked after the activation of AKT and mTOR by SC79 and MHY1485. In conclusion, it was the first time to demonstrate that BA improved cell activities and bone formation in aging osteoblasts, and revealed the mechanism of BA against SOP in osteoblasts was activating AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy.

This study was aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy (pembrolizumab combination therapy) and compare it with standard-of-care platinum-based chemotherapy (chemotherapy alone) as a first-line treatment for metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC from the perspective of Taiwan's third-party-payer public health-care system. We used a partitioned survival model with an estimated time horizon of 10 years. The partitioned survival model uses Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free and overall survival from the KEYNOTE-189 clinical trial. The quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) values were based on utility values by progression status calculated from the KEYNOTE-189 trial. This study examined costs related to treatment regimens, disease management, second-line therapy, end-of-life care, and adverse event management. Cost and utility were discounted at 3% per year. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results. The willingness-to-pay threshold was set at 3 × Taiwan's gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to NT$2,788,290. In the base-case scenario, pembrolizumab combination therapy resulted in an expected gain of 0.89 QALYs and an incremental cost of NT$2,201,203 relative to chemotherapy alone. The ICER was NT$2,478,601/QALY. In the analysis of the PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 50% subgroup, the patients who received pembrolizumab combination therapy gained 1.12 QALYs more than those who received chemotherapy alone, and the incremental cost was NT$2,522,528. Therefore, the ICER for this subset of patients was NT$2,258,358/QALY. In conclusion, pembrolizumab combination therapy is a cost-effective option for first-line treatment of metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC. The relative cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab combination therapy is greatest for patients with PD-L1 TPS ≥50%.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri is a probiotic bacterium known for its numerous beneficial effects on human health and is commonly utilized in various dietary supplements. Previously, we encountered difficulties in isolating L. reuteri from retail dietary supplements containing complex probiotic compositions by using non-selective media such as de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar. Our findings reveal that MRS agar with d-gluconic acid as the carbon source and peptone from soymeal as the nitrogen source provides a growth advantage for L. reuteri. Furthermore, all the tested L. reuteri strains exhibit higher resistance to oxacillin compared with non-L. reuteri strains, and the recovery of L. reuteri is significantly higher than that of non-L. reuteri strains on modified MRS agar (MRS-GSOT agar) supplemented with either 4 or 10 μg/mL oxacillin. Results of spiking tests indicate that MRS-GSOT agar with 10 μg/mL oxacillin can selectively inhibit the growth of species other than L. reuteri in single culture or mixed bacterial broth within food matrices. However, the recovery of L. reuteri is relatively low when subjected to the spiking tests with various ratios of non- L. reuteri. Testing results of 15 retail dietary supplements also show that MRS-GSOT agar could efficiently isolate L. reuteri from retail dietary supplements with complex compositions of probiotic bacteria. In addition, we observe that L. reuteri exhibits two different colony morphologies on MRS-GSOT agar with 10 μg/mL oxacillin, yet they shared a common feature: a noticeable metallic (golden) sheen on the colony surface when the plate is slightly tilted, which can be used to distinguish them from non-L. reuteri species, such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum, Levilactobacillus brevis, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum. In conclusion, we have developed MRS-GSOT agar containing d-gluconic acid, peptone from soymeal, oxacillin, and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride for efficient isolation of L. reuteri from dietary supplements.

Cordycepin, a key bioactive compound produced by Cordyceps militaris, faces the challenge of low productivity for commercial use. In this study, alanine supplementation in Cordyceps militaris boosted cordycepin production, peaking at 3 mg/g with 12 g/L concentration. Transcriptome analysis revealed 1711 differentially expressed genes, Pathway analysis indicates that protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum was the most affected pathway. In addition, the transcriptome showed that adenylosuccinate lyase is essential for the synthesis of cordycepin. The modulation of four genes (Cns1-4) points to a regulatory mechanism that could increase cordycepin biosynthesis, offering a strategy to overcome low productivity for commercial applications.

Cinnamic acid (CA) possesses important cardiovascular effects such as cardioprotective, antiatherogenic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant, which predicts its potential role in the treatment of hypertension. The study was executed to investigate the antihypertensive potential of CA in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats followed by evaluation in diverse vascular preparations. Invasive blood pressure monitoring technique was used in normotensive and hypertensive rats, under anesthesia. Isolated aortic rings from rat and rabbit, Langendorrf's perfused isolated rabbit heart and guinea-pig right atria were used to probe the underlying mechanisms. The responses were recorded with pressure and force transducers connected to PowerLab Data Acquisition System. Intravenous administration of CA induced a respective 54% and 38% fall in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the hypertensive and normotensive rats, respectively. In rat aortic rings, the CA exhibited muscarinic receptors-linked NO and indomethacin-sensitive endothelium-dependent (>50%) and calcium antagonistic and KATP-mediated endothelium-independent vasodilator effects. The CA showed negative inotropic and chronotropic effects in guinea-pig atrial strips. The CA suppressed force of ventricular contraction and heart rate while caused a 25% increase in coronary flow. This study supports the medicinal importance of CA as antihypertensive agent.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are primarily generated through the incomplete combustion or pyrolysis of organic materials in various industrial processes. Foods may become contaminated with environmental PAHs found in air, soil, or water, or through industrial food processing methods such as smoking, roasting, drying, and grilling. The Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan has established maximum levels for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and indicative values for BaP as well as PAH4 (the sum of benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene) in foods as operational guidelines. The current study developed an analytical method for simultaneous determination of PAH4 levels in katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), cocoa bean shells, and plant-based food supplements using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Sample preparation methods were assessed using cyclohexane extraction and solid-phase extraction (SPE) for purification. PAH4 levels were subsequently quantified with matrix-matched calibration curves combined with isotopic internal standards. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) for each PAH was 5 μg/kg for katsuobushi and plant-based food supplements, and 1 μg/kg for cocoa bean shells. The effectiveness of the method was validated through each PAH analyte in the matrices of katsuobushi, cocoa bean shells, and plant-based food supplements. The average recoveries of PAH4 for fortified samples in each matrix ranged from 101.1 to 115.6% with all coefficients of variation being less than 6.5%. This method is applicable for routine analysis of PAH4 in a diverse array of food products to ensure food safety.

Taiwanese oolong tea is renowned for its excellent quality and enjoys a prestigious reputation both domestically and internationally. In recent years, there has been an issue with imported Taiwanese-style oolong tea being sold as genuine Taiwanese oolong tea, which has adversely affected the brand value of Taiwanese oolong tea. In this study, samples of domestic oolong tea (Taiwanese oolong tea) and Taiwanese-style oolong tea produced abroad (including China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, etc.) were collected. A multi-elements analysis method was applied to establish an elemental database of tea leaf samples. Subsequently, various widely used classification methods were employed to develop a discrimination model for identifying the origin of Taiwanese oolong tea. Utilizing the discrimination model established from a database of 727 samples to determine whether the tea leaves were Taiwanese or external, the statistical performances of classification models such as LDA, Ridge, Random Forest, Boosting, and SVM are nearly consistent. These models achieved an accuracy rate of 97.1%-97.8%, a recall rate (true positive rate) for Taiwanese origin of 98.4%-99.0%, and a precision value for predicting Taiwanese origin of 97.3%-97.8%. This identification technology has become an officially recognized and publicly recommended testing method in Taiwan (TFDAF0032.00, released on November 5, 2021) and has been effectively utilized in official administrative inspections for identification of origin, as well as providing evidence for investigative cases.

Nowadays, food preservation, quality maintenance, and safety are major emerging concerns in the food industry. Methods for removing pathogens from the outside surfaces of food products would be an effective way to prevent bacterial contamination. Nanotopographies found on natural surfaces have been shown to mechanically damage the membranes of foodborne bacteria. Thus, using bioinspired mechanobactericidal nanostructures in food packaging and processing materials has the potential to lower surface bacterial contamination while increasing food safety. However, putting this concept into practice remains a challenge. This review discussed recent advances in understanding mechanobactericidal mechanisms, issues concerning the durability of nanotopography under external forces, and the scalability of nanostructures over larger areas. Furthermore, this review provides insight into critical research on the long-term efficiency of mechanobactericidal nanostructures and their potential for implementation in the food industry.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is commonly treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, adverse events from such treatment can lead to treatment discontinuation and additional medical expenditures. Ambulatory care from oncology pharmacists in patient education and symptom management can benefit patients with NSCLC. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of an oncology pharmacy service at a medical center in Taiwan. We retrospectively enrolled 137 patients with NSCLC who initiated treatment with afatinib, gefitinib, or erlotinib between January 2017 and December 2021; 40 of them utilized the oncology pharmacy service (intervention group), and the remaining 97 did not (nonintervention group). To determine the effectiveness of the oncology pharmacy service, we analyzed the following outcomes: adverse event rates, number of hospital visits (unexpected outpatient department visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalization), and medical expenditure. The intervention group had significantly more skin-related adverse events (acneiform rash: 75% vs. 49%; mucositis: 40% vs. 21%; dermatitis: 30% vs. 9%; and paronychia: 85% vs. 28%) but significantly fewer monthly emergency department visits (0.04 vs. 0.17) and unexpected outpatient department visits (0.15 vs. 0.34). The intervention group also had significantly lower expenditure for emergency department visits (NT$166.4 vs. NT$734.8) and nonsignificantly lower expenditure for outpatient department visits. Our findings indicate the value of pharmacist-managed ambulatory oncology care. Although this service did not reduce the incidence rates of adverse events, it reduced the number of unplanned outpatient and emergency department visits and reduced the emergency department expenditure of patients with NSCLC receiving TKIs.

Ascorbic acid (AA) is used as a food additive for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, excessive intake of AA is harmful to humans. Therefore, the detection of Fe³⁺ and AA is generally recognized to be meaningful. In this work, a one-step hydrothermal tactics is developed for the preparing nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon nanoparticles (N, P-CNPs) by using sucrose and ammonium orthophosphate as raw materials. The N, P-CNPs not only exhibited an enhanced fluorescent efficiency with a relatively high quantum yield up to 28%, but also showed satisfactory stability, water solubility and photostability. The fluorescence of N, P-CNPs can be effectively quenched by Fe³⁺ by a combination of inner filter effect (IFE) and static quenching and recovered upon the addition of AA due to the easy conversion of Fe³⁺ to reduced states Fe²⁺ by AA. Therefore, a turn-off-on fluorescent sensing strategy can be constructed for sequential detection of Fe³⁺ and AA with detection limits of 0.03 μM and 6 nM with the corresponding linear ranges of 0.05-500 μM and 0.01-500 μM respectively. The proposed fluorescent sensor exhibits excellent sensing performance and has been applied to the determination of Fe³⁺ in tap water and the analyses of AA in canned fruit soup with satisfactory results. Therefore, this fluorescent sensor expressed high potential in water quality monitoring, and could be further used to be a tool for practical food additives detection.