Fermented barley extracts with <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> dy-1 changes serum metabolomic profiles in rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity

We have previously reported an aqueous extract of fermented barley with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 (LFBE) has more efficient anti-obesity effect compared with that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To further explore associated effects of LFBE on body weight and body fat distribution, and lipid profiles related metabolic outcomes, serum metabolites were analysed using LC-MS-MS and partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Obese and lean groups were clearly discriminated from each other on PLS-DA score plot and major metabolites contributing to the discrimination were assigned as lipid metabolites (fatty acids), lipid metabolism intermediates (choline, betaine, carnitine and butyryl-carnitine), amino acids and citric acid. A high-fat diet increased lipid metabolites and decreased lipid metabolism intermediates, indicating that abnormal lipid metabolism induced by a high-fat diet resulted in fat accumulation via decreased β-oxidation. But LFBE can inhibit fat accumulation by reducing lipid metabolites and increasing lipid metabolism intermediates. Furthermore, the level changes of these metabolites can be used to assess the risk of obesity and the therapeutic effect of obesity management.</p

Additional file 1: of Combined ultrasound-guided cutting-needle biopsy and standard pleural biopsy for diagnosis of malignant pleural effusions

Excel: Detailed results of CNB, SPB, CNB or SPB of the 17 2 UPE patients. (XLS 33 kb

DataSheet_1_Chromosome-Scale Assembly and Characterization of the Albino Northern Snakehead, Channa argus var. (Teleostei: Channidae) Genome.zip

Northern snakehead, Channa argus (C. argus), is an important economic and ecological fish species. The wild population of the species was sharply declined in the last decade. A high-quality reference genome could lay a solid foundation for the genetic and conservation studies for C. argus. In this work, we report a chromosomal genome assembly with PacBio and Hi-C technology using the albino northern snakehead, a color variety of C. argus. A 644.1-Mb genome with 24 chromosomes was obtained with a contig and scaffold N50 of 11.78 and 27.8 Mb, respectively. We inferred that C. argus diverged from A. testudineus around 85.6 million years ago. 514 expanded gene families and 214 positively selected genes were identified in the C. argus genome. The chromosome-level genome provides a valuable high-quality genomic resource for population, as well as genetic and evolutionary studies for C. argus and other species in Channidae.</p

Donor−Acceptor Thiolated Polyenic Chromophores Exhibiting Large Optical Nonlinearity and Excellent Photostability

We have successfully utilized epoxyisophorone ring-opening chemistry to efficiently incorporate the butylthio group to the phenyltetraene bridge of highly efficient nonlinear optical chromophores in high overall yield. By following the guidance of Dewar’s rules, the sulfur atom functions as a moderate π-accepting group at a starred position of the conjugated bridge. Several of very critical material parameters of the phenyltetraenic chromophores for device applications have been intrinsically and simultaneously improved through such a simple and straightforward engineering of molecular structures. Compared with the nonsubstituted analogue 2, thiolated chromophore 1 achieves higher molecular hyperpolarizability (34%), enhanced E-O coefficient (38%), significantly improved photochemical stability against 1O2 (by an order of magnitude), and better optical transparency (17 nm blue-shifted λmax absorption spectrum)