Search

This study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial and preservative effects of the combinations of nisin (NS), tea polyphenols (TP), rosemary extract (RE), and chitosan (CS) on pasteurized chicken sausage. An orthogonal test revealed that the most effective preservative was a mixture of 0.05% NS plus 0.05% TP plus 0.03% RE plus 0.55% CS (weight by sausage weight). This mixture had antimicrobial and antioxidant effects in pasteurized chicken sausage and extended the shelf life to >30 days at 4°C. The inhibitory effects of NS, TP, RE, and CS were also evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and Staphylococcus aureus, the dominant spoilage and pathogenic bacteria in pasteurized chicken sausage. NS had the greatest inhibitory effect on LAB and S. aureus, with inhibitory zone diameters of 19.7 and 17.8 mm, respectively. TP had the largest inhibitory effect on P. aeruginosa, with a clear zone diameter of 18.2 mm. These results indicate that the combination of NS, TP, RE, and CS could be used as a natural preservative to efficiently inhibit the growth of microorganisms in pasteurized chicken sausage and improve its safety and shelf life. Antimicrobial mixtures of nisin, tea polyphenols, rosemary, and chitosan were optimized. The preservation effect of the optimal mixture was evaluated in chicken sausage. Inhibitory effects of each preservative were evaluated against three kinds of bacteria. The optimal mixture significantly extended the shelf life of chicken sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we have prepared clam peptides (RBPs) that exhibited potential antihypertension and kidney protective effects in SHR rats by fermentation of Ruditapes philippinarum with Bacillus natto. In this study, we established an adenine-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD) in SD rats and investigated the improvement effects of RBPs on CKD. The results showed that compared with the model group, 8 weeks gavage of RBPs restored the structure of the kidney and reduced serum levels of CKD-related biochemical indicators, including NGAL, CR, Ca, UA, TG, IP, L-FABP, BUN, CHO, and cystatin C (p < 0.05). RBPs treatment also reduced serum levels of MDA, IL-1β, TGF-β1, and TNF-α and increased those of CAT and T-AOC (p < 0.05). In addition, the results of intestinal microbiota analysis showed that RBPs improved the intestinal flora composition by downregulating the proportion of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, decreasing the relative abundance of Romboutsia, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and increasing that of Lactobacillus and Muribaculaceae (p < 0.05). The results of this study indicated that RBPs can also be used as bioactive substances in marine drugs or functional foods to alleviate CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient strategy to approximate the failure probability function in structural reliability problems is proposed. The failure probability function (FPF) is defined as the failure probability of the structure expressed as a function of the design parameters, which in this study are considered to be distribution parameters of random variables representing uncertain model quantities. The task of determining the FPF is commonly numerically demanding since repeated reliability analyses are required. The proposed strategy is based on the concept of augmented reliability analysis, which only requires a single run of a simulation-based reliability method. This paper introduces a new sample regeneration algorithm that allows to generate the required failure samples of design parameters without any additional evaluation of the structural response. In this way, efficiency is further improved while ensuring high accuracy in the estimation of the FPF. To illustrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the method, case studies involving a turbine disk and an aircraft inner flap are included in this study. • Sample regeneration algorithm is proposed for failure probability function estimation. • Only one simulation-based reliability analysis in augmented space is needed. • Maximum Entropy method is adopted to fit the posterior distribution. • Applications to a turbine disk and an aircraft inner flap are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet sorghum juice was a cheap and renewable resource, and also a potential carbon source for the fermentation production of lactic acid (LA) by a lactic acid bacterium. One newly isolated strain Lactobacillus salivarius CGMCC 7.75 showed the ability to produce the highest yield and optical purity of LA from sweet sorghum juice. Studies of feeding different concentrations of sweet sorghum juice and nitrogen source suggested the optimal concentrations of fermentation were 325 ml l and 20 g l, respectively. This combination produced 142.49 g l LA with a productivity level of 0.90 g of LA per gram of sugars consumed. The results indicated the high LA concentration achieved using L. salivarius CGMCC 7.75 not only gives cheap industrial product, but also broaden the application of sweet sorghum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the blood lipid regulation effects and mechanism of a functional Natto yogurt in a high‐fat diet‐induced hyperlipidemia mouse model. Natto yogurt was characteristically fermented by Bacillus natto and Lactobacillus plantarum with milk‐soy dual protein as substrates. After 5 weeks of Natto yogurt consumption, the body weight, fat, and liver weight of mice were significantly improved, while serum levels of TG, TC, LDL, ALT, TBIL, and TBA were reduced. Natto yogurt significantly decreased the area of liver fat infiltration and the number of lipid droplets. In mechanism, we found that Natto yogurt can inhibit fatty acid synthesis and enhance fatty acid catabolism by regulating the expression of PPARα, PPARγ, CD36 and FAS in the liver. Moreover, Natto yogurt increased the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes in the intestine. These results provide a possibility for Natto yogurt as a dual protein functional food to prevent and treat hyperlipidemia and obesity. Practical applications: Traditional‐fermented yogurt promotes nutritional absorption and reduces blood pressure and fat, while Bacillus natto and its fermented food have been proved to play a significant role in improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and obesity. Therefore, we developed a new dual protein functional yogurt (Natto yogurt) fermented by B. natto and Lactobacillus plantarum with milk and soy as substrates. We found that Natto yogurt could notably regulate blood lipid by inhibiting the synthesis of fatty acids, accelerating the catabolism of fatty acids, reducing liver damage, and increasing the abundance of beneficial intestinal microorganisms. This study suggested that Natto yogurt could improve hyperlipidemia and obesity as a safe, effective, and healthy functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A drug conjugate consists of a cytotoxic drug bound via a linker to a targeted ligand, allowing the targeted delivery of the drug to one or more tumor sites. This approach simultaneously reduces drug toxicity and increases efficacy, with a powerful combination of efficient killing and precise targeting. Antibody‒drug conjugates (ADCs) are the best-known type of drug conjugate, combining the specificity of antibodies with the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs to reduce adverse reactions by preferentially targeting the payload to the tumor. The structure of ADCs has also provided inspiration for the development of additional drug conjugates. In recent years, drug conjugates such as ADCs, peptide‒drug conjugates (PDCs) and radionuclide drug conjugates (RDCs) have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The scope and application of drug conjugates have been expanding, including combination therapy and precise drug delivery, and a variety of new conjugation technology concepts have emerged. Additionally, new conjugation technology-based drugs have been developed in industry. In addition to chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, drug conjugate therapy has undergone continuous development and made significant progress in treating lung cancer in recent years, offering a promising strategy for the treatment of this disease. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the use of drug conjugates for lung cancer treatment, including structure-based drug design, mechanisms of action, clinical trials, and side effects. Furthermore, challenges, potential approaches and future prospects are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In vivo and in vitro toxicity tests of JointAlive® were studied in animal models to support the safe use of JointAlive® as a drug for knee osteoarthritis treatment. Methods: The acute toxicity study in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats was conducted at a 20 g/kg bw/day dose of JointAlive®. For 13-week subchronic toxicity tests, SD rats were orally dosed daily with 0.5, 1.5 and 5 g/kg bw/day of JointAlive®. To assess the potential genotoxicity, Ames test, cellular chromosome aberration and mouse micronucleus test in vivo were carried out. Results: Based on a lack of notable findings other than histopathology finding of co-incidental prostate inflammation at the high dose, the "No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL)" of JointAlive® was concluded as 5 g/kg bw/day in males and females. Results also indicated that JointAlive® has no risk of genotoxicity. Conclusions: General toxicity and genotoxicity studies empirically demonstrated that JointAlive® poses a low risk of potential health risks, providing safety supports for the application of JointAlive® as a potential drug candidate to treat knee osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Osteoporosis has become an important public health issue with the increase of aging population, and afflicts millions of people worldwide, particularly elderly or postmenopausal women. In the present study, we prepared compound amino acid chelated calcium (CAA‐Ca) from processing by‐products of Chlamys farreri, and evaluated its effect on postmenopausal osteoporosis with an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model. RESULTS: A 60‐day treatment of OVX rats with CAA‐Ca significantly enhanced the bone mineral density (BMD) and the bone calcium content. Meanwhile, some bone morphometric parameters, trabecular bone number (Tb.N), trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular bone thickness (Tb.Th) and cortical bone wall thickness (Ct.Th), were also increased by 8.20%, 118.18%, 32.99% and 19.10%, respectively. In addition, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in serum were significantly reduced after CAA‐Ca treatment, while the blood calcium levels were increased. Mechanistically, CAA‐Ca down‐regulated the levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB (RANK) and receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL), and up‐regulated osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels in osteoclasts, inhibiting bone resorption and bone loss. Meanwhile, CAA‐Ca treatment raised β‐catenin levels and lowered Dickkopf1 (DKK1) levels in the Wnt signaling pathway of osteoblasts, which can promote calcium absorption and bone formation. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that CAA‐Ca promoted bone formation, inhibited bone resorption and improved bone microstructure. Therefore, this study contributes to the potential application of CAA‐Ca as a functional food resource in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epimedium brevicornu Maxim, Dioscorea nipponica Makino , and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge formula (EDS) are three traditional Chinese medicines commonly combined and used to treat osteoarthritis (OA). However, the mechanism of its therapeutic effect on OA is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential anti osteoarthritis mechanism of EDS in the treatment of OA rats' model by quantitative proteomics. A papain-induced rat OA model was established, and then EDS was intragastrically administered for 28 days. A label-free quantification proteomics was performed to evaluate the holistic efficacy of EDS against OA and identify the possible protein profiles mechanisms. The expression levels of critical changed proteins were validated by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The effects of EDS were then assessed by evaluating pathologic changes in the affected knee joint and measuring pressure pain threshold, acoustic reflex threshold, angle of joint curvature. Proteomics analysis showed that 62 proteins were significantly upregulated and 208 proteins were downregulated in OA group compared to control group. The changed proteins were involved in activation of humoral immunity response, complement cascade activation, leukocyte mediated immunity, acute inflammatory response, endocytosis regulation, and proteolysis regulation. The EDS treatment partially restored the protein profile changes. The protective effects of EDS on pathologic changes in OA rats' knee joint and pain threshold assessment were consisted with the proteomics results. The results suggest that EDS exerted synergistic therapeutic efficacies to against OA through suppressing inflammation, modulating the immune system, relieving joint pain, and attenuating cartilage degradation. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and fatigue are two common diseases endangering human life and health that may interact and reinforce one another. Myocardial infarction survivors frequently experience fatigue, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases that cause fatigue-induced sudden death. Sheng Mai Yin (SMY), a Chinese medicine prescription, is traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and has been demonstrated to reduce fatigue and safeguard cardiac function. This study aims to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of SMY in treating fatigue and AMI. The pharmacological mechanisms of SMY in treating fatigue and AMI were predicted by bioinformatics and network pharmacology methods. After administering SMY at high, medium and low doses, the swimming time to exhaustion, hemoglobin level, serological parameters and hypoxia tolerance time were detected in C57BL/6N mice, and the left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), grasp strength, cardiac histopathology, serological parameters and the expression of PINK1 and Parkin proteins were examined in Wistar rats. 371 core targets for SMY and 282 disease targets for fatigue and AMI were obtained using bioinformatics and network pharmacology methods. Enrichment analysis of target genes revealed that SMY might interfere with fatigue and AMI through biological processes such as mitochondrial autophagy, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. For in vivo experiments, SMY showed significant anti-fatigue and hypoxia tolerance effects in mice; It also improved the cardiac function and grasp strength, decreased their cardiac index, myocardial injury and fibrosis degree, and induced serological parameters levels and the expression of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) and Parkin proteins in myocardium, suggesting that SMY may exert cardioprotective effects in a joint rat model of fatigue and AMI by inhibiting excessive mitochondrial autophagy. This study revealed the anti-fatigue, anti-hypoxia and cardioprotective effects of SMY in a joint model of fatigue-AMI, and the pharmacological mechanism may be related to the inhibition of mitochondrial autophagy in cardiomyocytes through the PINK1/Parkin pathway. The discoveries may provide new ideas for the mechanism study of traditional Chinese medicine, especially complex prescriptions, in treating fatigue and AMI. [Display omitted] • Fatigue and acute myocardial infarction may be related to apoptotic process. • Sheng Mai Yin reduced fatigue, hypoxia and heart damage in mice and rats. • Sheng Mai Yin may suppress PINK1 and Parkin expression in the mitochondrial autophagy of myocardium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The addition of camellia oil (CO) improved the physical properties of KGM-KC films. • The hydrophobicity of KGM-KC films was improved due to the CO addition. • The KGM-KC film incorporated with camellia oil showed good water barrier properties. • Intermolecular interaction between KGM and KC was not affected by CO addition. The objective of this study was to develop a new hydrophobic film based on konjac glucomannan and kappa-carrageenan (KGM-KC) incorporating camellia oil (CO) (2, 4, and 6 %). CO was directly emulsified as a dispersed phase into KGM-KC matrix. The physical, structural, and water barrier properties of the film were studied. The results of Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy suggested that CO was successfully distributed in KGM-KC matrix by emulsification. Contact angle of the film indicated that addition of CO increased the hydrophobicity and water-resistance properties of film, which corresponding to the moisture content, total soluble mass, water vapor permeability, water vapor adsorption kinetics and water vapor adsorption isotherms. Addition of CO by emulsification improved thermal stability of film, optical properties, and mechanical properties. In conclusion, the incorporation of CO by emulsification is an effective and promising pathway to improve the properties of polysaccharide-based film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin (Cur.) is a natural product isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, with a variety of biological and pharmacological activities in food and pharmaceutical products. However, curcumin's poor solubility in water greatly limits its bioavailability and clinical applications. In this study, co‐grinding curcumin with food additives produced a mixture, which was evaluated for the solubility in water, dissolution, material morphology, in vivo bioavailability, cell uptake and entry mechanism. We tested 9 food additives in total and found that poloxamers performed the best. The 2 co‐grinding mixtures Cur./Kolliphor® P407 and Cur./Kolliphor® P188 with high drug loading at 65.5% significantly improved the curcumin aqueous solubility, subsequently increased its intestinal epithelial cell uptake and oral bioavailability. The relative bioavailabilities for the 2 co‐grinding mixtures were 309% and 163%, respectively, compared with curcumin API. Co‐grinding process has a broad application prospect and is suitable for industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel berberine derivatives were synthesized with improved anti-HCC activity. • 4d showed selective cytotoxicity against hepatoma cell lines including resistant cells. • 4d greatly stabilized G-quadruplex DNA with higher affinity over duplex DNA. • 4d induced apoptosis through a ROS-promoted PI3K/Akt-mitochondrial pathway. • 4d suppressed tumor growth in xenograft mouse model with good pharmacokinetic properties. A series of novel 9- N -substituted-13-alkylberberine derivatives from Chinese medicine were designed and synthesized with improved anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) activities. The optimal compound 4d showed strong activities against HepG2, Sk-Hep-1, Huh-7 and Hep3B cells with IC 50 values of 0.58–1.15 μM, which were superior to positive reference cisplatin. Interestingly, 4d exhibited over 40-fold more potent activity against cisplatin-resistant HepG2/DPP cells while showing lower cytotoxicity in normal LX-2 cells. The mechanism studies revealed 4d greatly stabilized G-quadruplex DNA leading to intracellular c -MYC expression downregulation, blocked G2/M-phase cell cycle by affecting related p -cdc25c, cdc2 and cyclin B1 expressions, and induced apoptosis by a ROS-promoted PI3K/Akt-mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, 4d possessed good pharmacokinetic properties and significantly inhibited the tumor growth in the H22 liver cancer xenograft mouse model without obvious toxicity. Altogether, the remarkably biological profiles of 4d both in vitro and in vivo would make it a promising candidate for HCC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) (0, 20, 40 and 60 MPa) on the emulsifying properties and structural changes of chicken liver (CL) proteins isolated by isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP) (with the acid/alkaline solubilization at pH 2.0, pH 3.0, pH 11.0 and pH 12.0 respectively and the precipitation at pH 5.5). Results showed that HPH could significantly decrease the particle size. With the increase of homogenization pressure, the solubility of the same ISP-isolated CL-proteins increased significantly and that of alkali-isolated proteins was the highest (P < 0.05). The preferable emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI) were obtained at pH 11.0 after 40 MPa treatment (reaching 34.90 m2/g and 37.77% respectively), which appeared the highest creaming layer. Compared with other treatments, the corresponding same ISP-isolated CL-proteins at 40 MPa HPH had highest surface hydrophobicity index (H 0) and free sulfhydryl content. After HPH, Raman spectroscopy revealed that the same ISP-isolated CL-proteins presented a decrease in α-helix accompanied by the increase of the β-sheet to be beneficial to the formation of stable emulsion. This study showed that suitable HPH combined with ISP treatments promoted the emulsifying stability of proteins. [Display omitted] • Emulsifying stability of ISP-isolated CL-proteins was improved after HPH. • A decrease in α-helix accompanied by the increase of the β-sheet after HPH. • Hydrophobicity of acid-isolated CL-proteins sharply increased after HPH. • Preferable EAI and ESI of CL-proteins were obtained at pH 11.0 after 40 MPa HPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]