Flavonoids are an important effective component of traditional Chinese medicine, which are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. The biosynthesis of flavonoid in plants is affected and regulated by various environmental factors. For a necessary environmental factor to plant growth and development, mineral nutrients are paid more and more attention on the regulation to the metabolism of flavonoids in medicinal plants. In this paper, an overview of flavonoids biosynthetic pathway, and the macroelements, microelements and rare earth elements on the metabolism of flavonoids in medicinal plants are presented. And the regulation mechanism of them are also analyzed and discussed.
Flavonoids ; analysis ; metabolism ; Minerals ; analysis ; metabolism ; Nutrition Assessment ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; metabolism

Interaction of salinity (NaCl) and cadmium (Cd) on growth, mineral nutrients, Na and Cd accumulation in four barley genotypes differing in salt tolerance was studied in a hydroponic experiment. Cd, NaCl and their combined stresses reduced Ca and Mg concentrations in roots and shoots, K concentration in shoots, increased K and Cu concentrations in roots relative to control, but had non-significant effect on micronutrients Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations in shoot. The three stresses reduced accumulation of most tested nutrients in both roots and shoots, except NaCl and NaCl+Cd stresses for root K and shoot Cu accumulation in salt tolerant genotypes. The salt tolerant genotypes did not have higher nutrient concentration and accumulation than the sensitive ones when exposed to Cd and NaCl stresses. In conclusion, the affecting mechanism of Cd stress on nutrients was to some extent different from salinity stress, and the NaCl+Cd stress was not equal to additional Cd and NaCl stresses, probably due to the different valence and competitive site of Na(+) and Cd(2+). NaCl addition in the Cd-containing medium caused remarkable reductions in both Cd concentration and accumulation, with the extent of reduction being also dependent on genotypes. The salt-tolerant genotypes had lower Na concentration than sensitive ones.
Cadmium ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Genotype ; Hordeum ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Minerals ; metabolism ; Sodium ; metabolism ; Sodium Chloride

We studied the effects of soy isoflavone supplements on bone metabolism marker (serum osteocalcin, urinary deoxypyridinoline) and urinary mineral excretion (urinary Ca, Mg, Zn) in 47 postmenopausal women. There were 24 participants in the treatment group and 23 in the control group. The treatment group consumed isoflavone extract capsules daily (which contained 90 mg of soy isoflavones) for 12 weeks. The study compared before and after isoflavone intake in the following areas: Physical examination, diet survey, bone metabolism marker and urinary mineral excretion. The average age of the treatment group was 64.6 years and that of the control group was 66.5 years. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of height, weight and body mass index. Both groups maintained a regular diet pattern in terms of their average daily nutrient intake. There were no significant differences between the treatment group (23.9 mg) and the control group (25.4 mg) in terms of daily isoflavone intake based on diet. The analysis of bone metabolism marker changes in the treatment group after 12 weeks of taking the isoflavone supplements demonstrated significant differences in the following: Serum osteocalcin (13.7 ng/mL in befor versus 6.8 ng/mL in after) and urinary deoxypyridinoline (5.9 nmol/mmol Cr in befor versus 4.5 nmol/mmol Cr in after). The subjects in the treatment group showed no significant difference in urinary Ca excretion. But the subjects showed a significant difference in urinary Mg (131.9 mg/day in befor versus 115.6 mg/day in after) and Zn (400.5 microgram/day in befor versus 310.2 microgram/day in after) excretion in the isoflavone treatment group at the levels of p<0.001, p<0.01, respectively. No changes were made in the intake of minerals. The composition of serum osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridinoline, and indicators of bone metabolism, including the excretion Mg and Zn, significantly decreased. As a result, bone mineral loss was lessened.
Body Mass Index ; Capsules ; Diet ; Diet Surveys ; Female ; Humans ; Metabolism* ; Minerals ; Osteocalcin ; Physical Examination

Content of osteocyte in bone tissue is the most abundant, the most widely distributed, and embedding the cells in the mineralized bone matrix, the life can be close to the life of the body. Osteocyte formed by the cytoplasm dendritic communication network system between osteocyte and bone surface, is of great significance to maintaining the normal physiological function of bone tissue. Bone cells as the direct receptor of bone mechanical stress, through the release of bioactive factors such as PEG2, NO, ATP and classic Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway mechanical stress signal can be converted to bone formation and bone resorption of biochemical signals, and the biochemical signals were transfer to the other type cells of the tissue to regulate its function activities and cause bone reconstruction function. The microcracks surrounding osteocyte can disrupt the microtubule network system,cause surrounding osteocyte autophagy. In addition, osteocyte is very important for regulation of the body mineral balance, fat metabolism, and hematopoietic function.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Hematopoiesis ; Humans ; Minerals ; metabolism ; Osteocytes ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Stress, Mechanical

To investigate the effect of hyperprolactinemia (HPLN) on bone mineral density (BMD), 21 previously treated hyprolactinemic amenorrheic women and 16 healthy, normally menstruating women were studied. Dualphoton absorptiometry was employed to specifically measure BMD at several sites in each of these women. Serum prolactin (PRL) along with LH, FSH, and estradiol (E2) had been measured by radioimmunoassay before treatment. Although all measured sites (vertebral body femur neck, Ward's triangle, and trochanter) showed lower BMDs in the study control group, only BMD at Ward's traingle, but no at the three other sites, was noted to be statistically significant in the study group compared with the control. There was no significant correlation between BMD and the patient's age, duration of amenorrhea, E2, and prolactin levels. Difference in BMD according to therapeutic modality was analyzed in these patients after treatment: transsphenoidal adenodectomy (TSA) with or without subsequent bromocriptine (Bx) (TSA +/- Bx) proved better in preserving BMD than TSA combined with postoperative radiotheraphy (RT) and Bx (TSA+RT+Bx), or Bx alone.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Bone and Bones/*metabolism ; Female ; Human ; Hyperprolactinemia/complications/*metabolism/therapy ; Minerals/*metabolism ; Osteoporosis/etiology ; Radionuclide Imaging

Biohydrometallergy technology received more and more attention because of its simple process, low cost and kind to environment, especially in dealing with low-grade and complex minerals. However, it is difficult to optimize microorganism species and process parameters in bioleaching procedure because of the lack of suitable bacteria and quantitative analysis methods at micro-level for bioleaching system. This has resulted in the low efficiency and poor yield of the target metal in bioleaching. With the development of microarray and bacteria conservation technology, solutions to the above problems were being found. This article summarizes the latest findings on genetic elucidation and the community structure of microorganisms in sulfide minerals bioleaching system, in the aim of providing a better understanding on the significance of cross-field technology of biohydrometallergy and genomics.
Acidithiobacillus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; trends ; Microarray Analysis ; Minerals ; metabolism ; Mining ; methods ; Sulfides ; chemistry ; metabolism

Inflammation-associated proteinase functions are key determinants of inflammatory stromal tissues deconstruction. As a specialized inflammatory pathological process, dental internal resorption (IR) includes both soft and hard tissues deconstruction within the dentin-pulp complex, which has been one of the main reasons for inflammatory tooth loss. Mechanisms of inflammatory matrix degradation and tissue resorption in IR are largely unclear. In this study, we used a combination of Cre-loxP reporter, flow cytometry, cell transplantation, and enzyme activities assay to mechanistically investigate the role of regenerative cells, odontoblasts (ODs), in inflammatory mineral resorption and matrices degradation. We report that inflamed ODs have strong capabilities of matrix degradation and tissue resorption. Traditionally, ODs are regarded as hard-tissue regenerative cells; however, our data unexpectedly present ODs as a crucial population that participates in IR-associated tissue deconstruction. Specifically, we uncovered that nuclear factor-kappa b (NF-κB) signaling orchestrated Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)-induced matrix metalloproteinases (Mmps) and Cathepsin K (Ctsk) functions in ODs to enhance matrix degradation and tissue resorption. Furthermore, TNF-α increases Rankl/Opg ratio in ODs via NF-κB signaling by impairing Opg expression but increasing Rankl level, which utterly makes ODs cell line 17IIA11 (A11) become Trap⁺ and Ctsk⁺ multinucleated cells to perform resorptive actions. Blocking of NF-κB signaling significantly rescues matrix degradation and resorptive functions of inflamed ODs via repressing vital inflammatory proteinases Mmps and Ctsk. Utterly, via utilizing NF-κB specific small molecule inhibitors we satisfactorily attenuated inflammatory ODs-associated human dental IR in vivo. Our data reveal the underlying mechanisms of inflammatory matrix degradation and resorption via proteinase activities in IR-related pathological conditions.
Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinases/metabolism* ; Minerals/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Odontoblasts/metabolism* ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

Pakistani wheat varieties are grown over a wide agro-climatic range and as such are anticipated to exhibit yield and quality differences. It is therefore necessary to investigate the nutritional status of wheat varieties in terms of biochemical and physiochemical characteristics available for food and nutritional purposes in Pakistan. The result shows that wheat grains of different varieties contain a net protein level of 9.15%-10.27%, 2.15%-2.55% total fats, 1.72%-1.85% dietary fibers, 77.65x10(-6)-84.25x10(-6) of potassium and 7.70x10(-6)-35.90x10(-6) of sodium ions concentration, 0.24x10(-6)-0.84x10(-6) of phosphorus, 1.44%-2.10% ash, 31.108-43.602 g of thousand grain mass (TGM) and 8.38%-9.67% moisture contents. This study is significant in providing an opportunity to explore the available wheat varieties and to further improve their nutritional excellence and also essential for setting nutritional regulations for domestic and export purposes.
Chemical Phenomena ; Chemistry, Physical ; Dietary Fiber ; metabolism ; Fats ; metabolism ; Minerals ; metabolism ; Nutritive Value ; Pakistan ; Plant Proteins ; metabolism ; Triticum ; chemistry ; classification ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESIn order to understand the absorption and utilization of calcium, iron and zinc in cow milk, soy milk powder and dephytinized soy milk powder in the children and adolescents, and to lay a foundation for the improvement of protein and mineral nutrition in Chinese residents with popularizing consumption of soy milk powder.

METHODSTotally, 57 boys aged 12 to 14 years were selected and divided into three groups, matched by age, hemoglobin concentration, height and weight. The boys were given 220 ml of fortified and dephytinized soy milk, soy milk or cow milk, respectively, containing calcium 270 mg, iron 4 mg and zinc 4 mg, which were labeled with stable isotopes (44)Ca, (58)Fe and (70)Zn in a single serving size, and their feces were labeled with brilliant blue and dysprosium. Feces specimens were collected for all the subjects and absorption rate of calcium, iron and zinc were measured for all the children who took fortified and dephytinized soy milk, soy milk or cow milk, respectively. Calcium in feces was measured with heat ionized mass spectrometry, and recovery of (58)Fe and (70)Zn in feces and content of dysprosium were measured with induction coupling iso-ionic mass spectrometry, and then absorption rates of iron and zinc were calculated and adjusted by the recovery rate of dysprosium.

RESULTSIron absorption rate was (6.7 +/- 3.8)% in soy milk powder group, (15.5 +/- 9.2)% in the cow milk group and (20.6 +/- 7.3)% in dephytinized soy milk powder group, respectively. Calcium absorption rate was (43.5 +/- 10.7)%, (64.2 +/- 11.4)%, and (50.9 +/- 6.6)% in the three groups, respectively. Absorption rate of zinc was (11.3 +/- 6.5)%, (31.2 +/- 10.4)% and (20.1 +/- 7.4)%, respectively. Significant increase in absorption of calcium, iron and zinc was observed in the groups with fortified and dephytinized soy milk powder, as compared with those consuming nondephytinized soy milk powder. Absorption rate of calcium and zinc was significantly higher in the group with cow milk than that in the group with dephytinized and fortified soy milk powder, and iron bioavailability was lower in the group with cow milk than that with dephytinized soy milk powder, with no significant difference. Absorption rates of calcium, iron and zinc were higher in children of China due to their long term adaptation to dietary intake of lower mineral and protein, and higher fiber.

CONCLUSIONSBioavailability of calcium, iron and zinc in soy milk powder could be increased by dephytinized treatment for it.

Absorption ; drug effects ; physiology ; Adolescent ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Child ; Food, Fortified ; Humans ; Iron ; metabolism ; Male ; Minerals ; metabolism ; Phytic Acid ; pharmacology ; Soybeans ; chemistry ; Zinc ; metabolism

Pneumoconiosis was diagnosed by open lung biopsy in two dental technicians who had interstitial lung disease. Mineralogical analysis was performed to investigate the origin of the dust that had been inhaled. A marked accumulation of silicon and phosphorus was found in both cases. The hard metals chromium and cobalt were also found. Dental technician's pneumoconiosis is a complex pneumoconiosis in which such dust and hard metals may play a role.
Adult ; *Dental Technicians ; Human ; Lung/pathology ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial/*diagnosis/metabolism ; Male ; Minerals/metabolism ; Occupational Diseases/*diagnosis/metabolism ; Pneumoconiosis/*diagnosis/metabolism ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed