Trace elements in children with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis based on case-control studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder that may be related to trace elements. However, reports on the relationship between them are still inconsistent. In this article, we conducted a meta-analysis on this issue. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases as of November 15, 2019. A random-effects model was used, and subgroups of studies were analyzed using samples of different measurements. Twenty-two original articles were identified (18 trace elements, including a total of 1014 children with ASD and 999 healthy controls). In autistic children, the overall levels of barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), lithium (Li), and lead (Pb) were higher. There were significant differences in the levels of copper (Cu) in the hair and serum between autistic children and the control group. The levels of Hg, Li, Pb and selenium (Se) in the hair of autistic children were higher than those of healthy children, while the levels of zinc (Zn) in the blood were lower. Excessive exposure to toxic heavy metals and inadequate intake of essential metal elements may be associated with ASD. Preventing excessive exposure to toxic metals and correcting poor dietary behaviors may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of the disease.     

长裙竹荪抑菌活性物质的分离纯化及其抑菌效果

长裙竹荪Dictyophora indusiata是珍贵的食药用真菌,具有很强的抑菌作用,在天然防腐剂开发方面具有广阔的应用前景。本研究以长裙竹荪的抑菌活性为指标,通过萃取、3次不同流动相的硅胶柱层析、1次反相柱层析和薄层层析法对竹荪提取物进行分离纯化,得到一个抗菌活性强的单体化合物。根据核磁共振波谱等数据分析,推断该化合物为间苯三酚。以巨大芽孢杆菌和肠炎沙门氏菌为供试菌,用平板打孔法及原位抑菌法测定该化合物的抑菌效果,结果表明：该化合物对这两种菌有很强的抑制作用,半抑制浓度分别为83.06μg/mL和51.58μg/mL。本研究首次从长裙竹荪中获得具有抗菌活性的单体化合物间苯三酚,为竹荪天然抗菌物质的开发提供理论依据。     

Repellent,Insecticidal and Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Essential Oils from Three Eucalyptus Species

Developing effective and eco‐friendly antimicrobials and pesticides has become a highly important issue. The repellent, insecticidal and antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) isolated by hydrodistillation from dried leaves of the three Eucalyptus species (E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii) were investigated. During GC/MS analysis, α‐pinene (47.36 %), 1,8‐cineol (38.53 %) and α‐pinene (35.31 %) were identified as major components of E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii, respectively. The EOs from E. cloeziana exhibited the longest effective protection time (465 min, at 50.0 % w/w) for humans among the EOs studied. The effective protection time was 30 min and 300 min at concentrations of 12.5 % (w/w) and 25.0 % (w/w), respectively. Fumigating insecticidal activity of EOs from three Eucalyptus species was tested by airtight fumigation in conical flask, which indicated that essential oils had a highly and rapidly insecticidal activity on Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. The antimicrobial activity of EOs was evaluated by using disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. There was no significant difference in the antibacterial activity of EOs from E. cloeziana and E. umbellate and they had the same MICs (20 mL/L) on Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. E. benthamii had the worst microbial inhibitory effect among the three Eucalyptus essential oils and the MIC value for the test species is 40 mL/L except for Rhodotorula Harrison (10 mL/L).     

Diminished social interaction incentive contributes to social deficits in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder

One of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is impaired social interaction. Currently, no pharmacotherapies exist for this symptom due to complex biological underpinnings and distinct genetic models which fail to represent the broad disease spectrum. One convincing hypothesis explaining social deficits in human ASD patients is amotivation, however it is unknown whether mouse models of ASD represent this condition. Here we used two highly trusted ASD mouse models (male Shank3‐deficient [Shank3^+/ΔC] mice modeling the monogenic etiology of ASD, and inbred BTBR mice [both male and female] modeling the idiopathic and highly polygenic pathology for ASD) to evaluate the level of motivation to engage in a social interaction. In the behavioral paradigms utilized, a social stimulus was placed in the open arm of the elevated plus maze (EPM), or the light compartment of the light‐dark box (LDB). To engage in a social interaction, mice were thus required to endure innately aversive conditions (open areas, height, and/or light). In the modified EPM paradigm, both Shank3^+/ΔC and BTBR mice demonstrated decreased open‐arm engagement with a social stimulus but not a novel object, suggesting reduced incentive to engage in a social interaction in these models. However, these deficits were not expressed under the less severe aversive pressures of the LDB. Collectively, we show that ASD mouse models exhibit diminished social interaction incentive, and provide a new investigation strategy facilitating the study of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social reward and motivation deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders.     

Profiling the Lipophilic Fractions of Pithecellobium dulce Bark and Leaves Using GC/MS and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant,Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities

Pithecellobium dulce has been used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments owing to its restorative properties. The biological activities and chemical profiles of the lipophilic fraction of P. dulce bark and leaves were assessed herein. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and unsaponifiable matter (USM) were prepared and analyzed by GC/MS. A total of 40 compounds were identified in the bark saponifiable fraction, whereas 9 compounds were annotated in the leaves. Palmitic acid methyl ester was the major compound identified accounting for 41.48 % of the bark and 19.03 % of the leaves composition. Besides, linolenic acid methyl ester (22.40 %) and linoleic acid (12.69 %) were annotated in the leaves saponifiable fraction. A total of 63 compounds were detected in the bark USM and 4 compounds were identified in the leaves. Phytol represented the major component in the leaves (52.57 %) followed by lupeol (20.68 %) and lupenone (8.60 %). Meanwhile, n‐dodecane dominated in the bark USM accounting for 24.69 % of the total composition. The leaves and bark lipophilic fractions revealed moderate antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Both extracts showed no antifungal activity. No cytotoxicity was observed for both lipophilic fractions. P. dulce offers a good source of antioxidant compounds that can be introduced to food and pharmaceutical industry.     

Odoriferous Therapy: A Review Identifying Essential Oils against Pathogens of the Respiratory Tract

This review explores the body of scientific information available on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils against pathogens responsible for respiratory infections and critically compares this to what is recommended in the Layman's aroma‐therapeutic literature. Essential oils are predominantly indicated for the treatment of respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses (total 79.0 %), the efficacy of which has not been confirmed through clinical trials. When used in combination, they are often blended for presumed holistic synergistic effects. Of the essential oils recommended, all show some degree of antioxidant activity, 50.0 % demonstrate anti‐inflammatory effects and 83.3 % of the essential oils showed antihistaminic activity. Of the essential oils reviewed, 43.8 % are considered non‐toxic while the remaining essential oils are considered slightly to moderately toxic (43.7 %) or the toxicity is unknown (12.5 %). Recommendations are made for further research into essential oil combinations.     

Achillea filipendulina Lam.: Chemical Constituents and Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oil of Stem,Leaf, and Flower

In this study, we extracted the essential oils of the stem, leaf, and flower of Achillea filipendulina, analyzed them, and studied their antibacterial properties. Of 16, 53, and 35 compounds identified in the stem, leaf, and flowers, respectively, only five are present in all three segments of the plant. The essential oil of the stem was mainly composed of neryl acetate, spathulenol, carvacrol, santolina alcohol, and trans‐caryophyllene oxide. However, the main identified components of leaf were 1,8‐cineole, camphor, ascaridole, trans‐isoascaridole, and piperitone oxide and the main components of the flower oil were ascaridole, trans‐isoascaridole, 1,8‐cineole, p‐cymene, and camphor. The extracted oil from different segments demonstrated varying antibacterial properties against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, demonstrated by disk, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration methods. These suggest that the application of all segments of aerial parts of A. filipendulina may have a better therapeutic effect in fighting pathogenic systems.     

柑橘木虱成虫趋光行为反应

柑橘木虱Diaphorina citri Kuwayama是柑橘黄龙病(huanglongbing,HLB)的重要传播媒介。为了利用灯光诱控技术防治柑橘木虱,本实验于室内条件下研究柑橘木虱对波长为360 nm、400 nm、440 nm、480 nm、520 nm、560 nm和600 nm的LED光源和不同光照强度趋光行为反应。结果表明:柑橘木虱对7种单色光都有正趋向性。其中雌雄混合存在时对400 nm的紫光趋向性最强,其次是560 nm的绿光;单独处理时,雌成虫对400 nm的紫光趋性最强,其次是520 nm的绿光,雄成虫则是对520 nm的绿光趋性最强,其次是400 nm的紫光。在200μw/cm 2到1000μw/cm 2的光照强度范围内,随着光照强度的增大,柑橘木虱雄成虫趋光行为逐渐增强,在光照强度为1000μw/cm 2时趋光行为最强,但雌成虫趋光行为变化不明显。该研究表明:柑橘木虱雌雄成虫具有明显的正趋光性,且对光谱和光强的反应存在差异。这一结果可为柑橘木虱田间的灯光诱控提供实验依据。     

The structure and antimicrobial potential of wasp and hornet (Vespidae) mastoparans: A review

Wasp venom is a complex mixture of biologically active components, including high molecular weight proteins, small peptides, bioactive amines, and amino acids. Peptides comprise up to 70% of dried venom. In social wasp venoms, three of the major peptide types are mastoparans, which cause mast cell degranulation, chemotactic peptides, which promote chemotaxis of polymorphonucleated leukocytes, and kinin‐related peptides, which are known to produce pain and increase vascular permeability. Among these, the bioactive tridecapeptide mastoparan is the most common and may even have antimicrobial activity. Herein we summarize the results of studies on vespid mastoparans, focusing on hornets (Vespa spp.) identified following a systematic literature search for mastoparans of hornets in the genus Vespa, the most active mastoparan research taxon. The common features of hornet mastoparans are C‐terminal amidation, amphipathic helical structure, and multiple functions such as mast cell degranulation and hemolysis, as well as membrane permeabilization. Most interestingly, all tested hornet mastoparans have strong antimicrobial activities, suggesting that they can provide useful insights into and opportunities for development of novel antibacterial peptides.