Physicochemical properties of silkworm larvae protein isolate and gastrointestinal hydrolysate bioactivities

The objectives of this study were to investigate the amino acid composition and thermal properties of silkworm larvae protein isolate (SLPI) and to evaluate the in vitro angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities of its hydrolysate prepared with gastrointestinal enzymes. The results showed that, SLPI was a high quality protein source with a well-balanced composition of essential amino acids, which was especially rich in glutamic acid (13.79 g/100 g protein), aspartic acid (10.44 g/100 g protein), leucine (8.68 g/100 g protein), lysine (8.01 g/100 g protein) and arginine (6.59 g/100 g protein). In additon, three endothermic denaturation transitions were observed in DSC thermograms of SLPI. The maximum transition peak occurred in the third thermal transition, which denaturation temperature (Td), peak temperature of denaturation (Tp) and enthalpy change (ΔH) were 76.95°C, 80.42°C and 783.75 J/g, respectively. SLPI hydrolysate exhibited strong ACE-inhibitory activity (IC50=8.3 μg/ml) and relatively higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (IC50=57.91 μg/ml) and ferrous ions chelating capacity (IC50=2.03 mg/ml). Moreover, the  hydrolysate showed notable reducing power. It was concluded that, SLPI might be considered as a multifunctional ingredients for functional foods with protein supplements, ACE-inhibitory and antioxidant activity.Key words: Silkworm larvae protein isolates (SLPI), amino acid composition, thermal properties, gastrointestinal enzymes, hydrolysis, ACE inhibition, antioxidant

A pore-expanded supramolecular organic framework and its enrichment of photosensitizers and catalysts for visible-light-induced hydrogen production

A pore-expanded three-dimensional supramolecular organic framework SOF-bpb, with a previously unattained aperture size of 3.6 nm, has been constructed in water from the co-Assembly of cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) and a tetraphenylmethane-cored 1,4-bis(pyridin-4-yl)-benzene-Appended building block M1. The periodicity of SOF-bpb in water and in the solid state has been confirmed using synchrotron X-ray scattering and diffraction experiments. SOF-bpb can adsorb anionic and neutral Ru complex photosensitizers and anionic Wells-Dawson-Type and Keggin-Type polyoxometalates (POMs). The adsorption leads to an important enrichment effect, which remarkably increases the catalytic efficiency of the Ru complex-POM systems for visible light-induced reduction of protons to produce H . The expanded aperture of SOF-bpb also facilitates light absorption of the adsorbed Ru complex photosensitizers and electron transfer between excited complexes and the POM catalysts, leading to enhanced photocatalytic activities as compared with the prototypical SOF that has an aperture size of 2.1 nm. 2+ 2+ 2+

A natural product-like JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor induces apoptosis of malignant melanoma cells

The JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway plays a critical role in tumorigenesis, and has been suggested as a potential molecular target for anti-melanoma therapeutics. However, few JAK2 inhibitors were being tested for melanoma therapy. In this study, eight amentoflavone analogues were evaluated for their activity against human malignant melanoma cells. The most potent analogue, compound 1, inhibited the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 in human melanoma cells, but had no discernible effect on total JAK2 and STAT3 levels. A cellular thermal shift assay was performed to identify that JAK2 is engaged by 1 in cell lysates. Moreover, compound 1 showed higher antiproliferative activity against human melanoma A375 cells compared to a panel of cancer and normal cell lines. Compound 1 also activated caspase-3 and cleaved PARP, which are markers of apoptosis, and suppressed the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 level. Finally, compound 1 induced apoptosis in 80% of treated melanoma cells. To our knowledge, compound 1 is the first amentoflavone-based JAK2 inhibitor to be investigated for use as an anti-melanoma agent.published_or_final_versio

Genetic neural network for Traditional Chinese medicine

The research into the impersonality and information of the Traditional Chinese-medicine Diagnosis (TCMD) is a key work to realize the Traditional Chinese-medicine (TCM) medicine examination system. So the paper studies the application of Artificial Neural Networks (NN) to TCM and uses the Genetic Algorithm (GA) to optimize the ANN, which is used to the diagnosis of TCM. The initial structure of the ANN is arbitrary and the GA is able to find a near optimal connection weight and structure of the ANN for the TCMD. In this paper, we emphatically describe t the GA to optimal the connection weight of the NN - Genetic NN, which has a relatively fixed three-layer and was used to the TCM eight principal syndromes by the tongue feature

Ottelia fengshanensis, a new bisexual species of Ottelia (Hydrocharitaceae) from southwestern China

Ottelia fengshanensis, a new species (Hydrocharitaceae) from southwest China is here described and illustrated. Comparing its morphological features to putative close relatives O. guanyangensis, it has 3-4 flowers (vs. 2-5) each spathe, hexagonal-cylindric fruit, white styles (vs. yellow), green leaves (vs. dark green) and fruit tiny winged (vs. winged obviously). Molecular phylogenetic investigation of four DNA sequences (ITS, rbcL, trnK5' intron and irnS-irnG) and the Poisson Tree Processes model for species delimitation (PTP) analysis, further resolves O. fengshanensis as a new species that is close to O. guanyangensis with distinct support

Direct generation of intense extreme ultraviolet supercontinuum with 35 fs, 11 mJ pulses from a femtosecond laser amplifier

We report on the generation of intense extreme ultraviolet (EUV) supercontinuum with photon energies spanning from 35 eV to 50 eV (i. e., supporting an isolated attosecond pulse with a duration of ~271 as) by loosely focusing 35 fs, 11 mJ pulses from a femtosecond laser amplifier into a 10-mm long gas cell filled with krypton gas. The dramatic change of spectral and temporal properties of the driver pulses after passing through the gas cell indicates that propagation effects play a significant role in promoting the generation of the EUV supercontinuum.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

A Piezoelectric Immunosensor Using Hybrid Self-Assembled Monolayers for Detection of Schistosoma japonicum

BACKGROUND: The parasite Schistosoma japonicum causes schistosomiasis disease, which threatens human life and hampers economic and social development in some Asian countries. An important lesson learned from efforts to reduce the occurrence of schistosomiasis is that the diagnostic approach must be altered as further progress is made towards the control and ultimate elimination of the disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using mixed self-assembled monolayer membrane (mixed SAM) technology, a mixture of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and mercaptoethanol (ME) was self-assembled on the surface of quartz crystals by gold-sulphur-bonds. Soluble egg antigens (SEA) of S. japonicum were then cross-linked to the quartz crystal using a special coupling agent. As compared with the traditional single self-assembled monolayer immobilization method, S. japonicum antigen (SjAg) immobilization using mixed self-assembled monolayers exhibits much greater immunoreactivity. Under optimal experimental conditions, the detection range is 1:1500 to 1:60 (infected rabbit serum dilution ratios). We measured several infected rabbit serum samples with varying S. japonicum antibody (SjAb) concentrations using both immunosensor and ELISA techniques and then produced a correlation analysis. The correlation coefficients reached 0.973. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We have developed a new, simple, sensitive, and reusable piezoelectric immunosensor that directly detects SjAb in the serum. This method may represent an alternative to the current diagnostic methods for S. japonicum infection in the clinical laboratory or for analysis outside the laboratory

A study into the behaviour of the formation level of an excavation under different unloading patterns in soft deposits

The construction of basements in urban areas is often associated with the possible damage to existing structures and services. The varying construction processes inevitably lead to different stress unloading patterns and therefore the dissipation of these excess pore-water pressures may lead to non-standard deformation profiles. The three main types of basement construction processes are layered excavation (LE), basin excavation (BE) and island excavation (IE). The effect of the various unloading patterns has been investigated by a three dimensional (3D) effective stress analysis method using the developed computer program 3DBCPE4.0. An excavation of length 50 m, width 50 m and depth 9 m in a certain homogenous and isotropic saturated soft soil was modelled. This included a diaphragm wall of 800-mm thickness embedded 18 m deep into the soft soil. The different excavation deformation profiles under different excavation patterns were related to the different unloading process, the exposure time of excavation face and the dissipation of negative excess pore-water pressures. The most favourable process for controlling the horizontal deformation of a retaining wall or the heave deformation of the formation level is suggested. The ground water potentials within the formation level are also presented