Inhibitory Kinetics of Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside against α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase

The inhibitory mechanism of α-amylase and α-glucosidase by cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was investigated by ultrafiltration, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), enzyme kinetics, and molecular docking. The results indicated that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase in a reversible and non-competitive manner. Besides, the fluorescence quenching analysis indicated that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside combined with the two enzymes by hydrogen bonds to form a complex. Molecular docking analysis showed that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside interacted with the key amino acid residues of α-amylase and α-glucosidase through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces, and the binding energies were −7.8 and −9.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Our research suggests that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside has the potential to be used as an inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase in the development of functional foods

Effect and Mechanism of Armillaria mellea 07-22 Fermentation on the Degradation of Zearalenone

This study used Armillaria mellea 07-22 as the experimental strain to degrade zearalenone (ZEN) by fungal biological fermentation. The degradation effects of Armillaria mellea on ZEN were studied, including the degradation effects of different concentrations of ZEN by the strain and the effects of different culture time, culture temperature, initial pH value and inoculation amount on the degradation of ZEN by the strain. Then the degradation mechanism was explored, the degradation effects of mycelium, fermentation supernatant and cell contents on ZEN were analyzed, and the effects of different fermentation time, pH values, and metal ions on degradation of ZEN by fermentation supernatant were studied, and the correlation between degradation effect and laccase production activity of the strain was illustrated. The results showed that Armillaria mellea 07-22 had a good degradation effect on ZEN. When the ZEN concentration was 5 μg/mL, the optimal degradation conditions were culture time of 8 days, culture temperature of 27 ℃, initial pH of 7.0, and inoculation amount of 10%. At this time, the degradation rate of ZEN was 78.72%. The degradation rates of ZEN by mycelium, fermentation supernatant and cell contents were 47.42%, 37.05% and 13.08% respectively. The extracellular enzymes secreted by Am-07-22 were the main way to degrade ZEN, and the mycelium cells also had a certain adsorption effect on ZEN. In addition, the correlation between the degradation rate of ZEN by fermentation supernatant and laccase activity was 0.973, and Cu2+ had the best promoting effect on the degradation of ZEN by fermentation supernatant

Occult Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Underappreciated Disease

Background: The number of researches on occult non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is modest. Herein, we defined the clinicopathological features, prognosis and survival outcome of this underappreciated tumor, with purpose of obtaining a clearer picture on this disease. Methods: The entire cohort was categorized into two groups (occult NSCLC and other NSCLC) and further into five groups (occult, T1, T2, T3 and T4). A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized Cox regression model was performed to identify the prognostic indicators. A nomogram and a risk-classifying system were formulated. Kaplan–Meier with Log-rank method was carried out to compare overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) differences between groups. Results: 59,046 eligible NSCLC cases (occult NSCLC: 1158 cases; other NSCLC: 57,888 cases) were included. Occult NSCLC accounted for 2.0% of the included cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, sex, tumor location, histology, grade and surgery were prognostic factors for OS. The corresponding prognostic nomogram classified occult NSCLC patients into low-risk and high-risk group, and its performance was acceptable. Survival curves demonstrated that occult NSCLC patients exhibited worse survivals than other NSCLC. In further analyses, the survival of low-risk occult NSCLC and stage T3 NSCLC were comparable, and the high-risk occult NSCLC patients still owned the worst survival rate. Conclusions: Occult NSCLC was an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis, and surgery was the preferred treatment. More attention should be paid to this overlooked disease due to no evidence of tumor imaging

Enzymatic biofuel cell: A potential power source for self-sustained smart textiles

Summary: Self-sustained smart textiles require a miniaturized and flexible power source, while the state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery cannot be seamlessly integrated into smart textiles. Enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFC), utilizing physiological glucose or lactate as fuels to convert chemical energy into electricity, are a potential alternative power source. In comparison to other proposed energy harvesters relying on solar and biomechanical energy, EBFCs feature several key properties, including continuous power generation, biocompatible interfaces without using toxic elements, simple configuration without extra packaging, and biodegradability. There is an urgent need to introduce EBFCs to the researchers working on smart textiles, who typically are not expert on bioelectrochemistry. This minireview first introduces the working principle of EBFC and then summarizes its recent progress on fibers, yarns, and textiles. It’s expected that this review can help to bridge the knowledge gap and provide the community of smart textiles with information on both the strengths and limitations of EBFCs

Confning TiO2 Nanotubes in PECVD‑Enabled Graphene Capsules Toward Ultrafast K‑Ion Storage: In Situ TEM/XRD Study and DFT Analysis

© 2020, © 2020, The Author(s). Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has gained burgeoning attention for potassium-ion storage because of its large theoretical capacity, wide availability, and environmental benignity. Nevertheless, the inherently poor conductivity gives rise to its sluggish reaction kinetics and inferior rate capability. Here, we report the direct graphene growth over TiO2 nanotubes by virtue of chemical vapor deposition. Such conformal graphene coatings effectively enhance the conductive environment and well accommodate the volume change of TiO2 upon potassiation/depotassiation. When paired with an activated carbon cathode, the graphene-armored TiO2 nanotubes allow the potassium-ion hybrid capacitor full cells to harvest an energy/power density of 81.2 Wh kg−1/3746.6 W kg−1. We further employ in situ transmission electron microscopy and operando X-ray diffraction to probe the potassium-ion storage behavior. This work offers a viable and versatile solution to the anode design and in situ probing of potassium storage technologies that is readily promising for practical applications.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Influence of multiple freezing/thawing cycles on a structural, rheological, and textural profile of fermented and unfermented corn dough

In the current study, the impact of fermentation and freezing/thawing treatment on corn flour was studied. Fermentation revealed an increase (12%) in amylose content, while freezing reflected a loss of amylose. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed more grooves, indentations, and the irregular shape of particles. Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) exhibited different pasting behavior on the dough. The molecular structure had similar profiles but showed several discernible absorbance at the different wavelengths. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed an increase in melting temperature range due to fermentation and freezing/thawing treatment attributed to more heterogeneous morphology. Overall, the results of this research showed the insight alterations that induce the changes in corn flour leading to improvement in some properties and it may enhance the acquaintance about the upright revolution in the profile of corn dough and its potential usage in industry and homes

Neutralisation of peritoneal IL-17A markedly improves the prognosis of severe septic mice by decreasing neutrophil infiltration and proinflammatory cytokines.

PURPOSE: The current study aimed to elucidate the role of peritoneal fluid IL-17A in septic mice, and the effects of intraperitoneal or intravenous blockade of the IL-17A pathway by anti-IL17A antibody on survival, plasma, and peritoneal cavity cytokine profile in a murine caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis model. The main source of peritoneal fluid IL-17A in septic mice was identified. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice that underwent severe CLP or sham surgery were intraperitoneally or intravenously administered anti-IL17A antibodies or isotype antibodies. The survival rates were observed. IL-17A, TNF-α, and IL-6 cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. Surface and intracellular IL-17A immunofluorescence stains were detected by flow cytometry to identify the IL-17A-producing cells. RESULTS: The IL-17A level was elevated much higher and earlier in peritoneal fluid than in the blood of the CLP mice. The intraperitoneal IL-17A blockade more significantly protects against CLP-induced mortality than intravenous blockade because of decreased TNF-α and IL-6 levels both in peritoneal fluid and blood, neutrophil infiltration in the peritoneal cavity, and lung injury. γδ T lymphocytes were identified to be the main source of IL-17A in the peritoneal fluid of septic mice. CONCLUSIONS: The earlier and higher elevated IL-17A derived from γδ T cells in peritoneal fluid plays a critical role during polymicrobial severe sepsis and effect of intraperitoneal IL-17A antibody administration superior to intravenous administration on survival of severe CLP-induced septic mice. The intraperitoneal blockade of IL-17A decreases proinflammatory cytokine production, neutrophil infiltration, and lung injury, thereby improving septic mice survival, which provides a new potential therapy target for sepsis