Ecological studies of microalgae have revealed their potential to co-exist in the natural environment. It provides an evidence of the symbiotic relationship of microalgae with other microorganisms. ...The symbiosis potential of microalgae is inherited with distinct advantages, providing a venue for their scale-up applications. The deployment of large-scale microalgae applications is limited due to the technical challenges such as slow growth rate, low metabolites yield, and high risk of biomass contamination by unwanted bacteria. However, these challenges can be overcome by exploring symbiotic potential of microalgae. In a symbiotic system, photosynthetic microalgae co-exist with bacteria, fungi, as well as heterotrophic microalgae. In this consortium, they can exchange nutrients and metabolites, transfer gene, and interact with each other through complex metabolic mechanism. Microalgae in this system, termed as a binary culture, are reported to exhibit high growth rate, enhanced bio-flocculation, and biochemical productivity without experiencing contamination. Binary culture also offers interesting applications in other biotechnological processes including bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and production of high-value metabolites. The focus of the study is to provide a perspective to enhance the understanding about microalgae binary culture. In this review, the mechanism of binary culture, its potential, and limitations are briefly discussed. A number of queries are evolved through this study, which needs to be answered by executing future research to assess the real potential of binary culture.
•Distinct features of binary culture over uni-algal system are discussed.•The mechanism of microalgae symbiosis is described.•A concept of binary culture based flocculation is presented.•The uses of binary culture for wastewater/bio-refinery applications are identified.•Future research directions are defined to promote binary culture.
Here we report a total synthesis of the pharmacologically significant morphinan alkaloid, oxycodone. The centerpiece of the developed strategy features the first application of the Rovis ...desymmetrization of peroxyquinol in target-oriented total synthesis to access an optically active phenanthrene framework shared by the morphinans. A Stork-Ueno radical cyclization under photoredox conditions installed the all-carbon quaternary stereocenter, and a late-stage reductive detosylation with concomitant piperidine formation secured the core structure of the target molecule.
Recent reports suggest that gut microbiota can be a major determinant of dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its modulation by treating probiotics is a valid strategy to ...exert a protective effect. In this study, high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice were orally administrated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for 13 weeks. Significant reductions in the weights of the liver, mesenteric and subcutaneous adipose tissues were observed in LGG-treated HFD-fed mice compared to LGG-non-treated controls. The serum levels of triglyceride and cholesterol were also significantly reduced in LGG-treated mice. Gut microbial composition analysis showed that shifts in the diversity of dominant gut bacteria were caused by HFD and restored by LGG treatment. A remarkable decrease of hepatic fat content was also observed in LGG-treated mice, accompanied by downregulated expressions of lipogenic and pro-inflammatory genes in the liver. LGG-treated mice had lower expression levels of genes involved in cholesterol synthesis, but conversely, higher expression levels of cholesterol efflux-related genes compared to LGG-non-treated controls. The cholesterol-lowering effect of LGG was also found to be mediated by suppression of FXR and FGF15 signaling, resulting in the upregulation of hepatic CYP7A1. Our findings confirm a therapeutic potential of probiotics for ameliorating dyslipidemia and NAFLD.
•LGG supplementation improved dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice.•LGG restored gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by HFD feeding.•Hepatic expressions of lipogenic and pro-inflammatory genes were suppressed.•Expression of cholesterol efflux-related and bile acid synthetic genes was enhanced.•The effect was found to be mediated by suppression of FXR and FGF15 signaling.
►L. rhamnosus GG (LGG) protects mice from high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance. ► LGG decreases gluconeogenesis and increases fatty acid oxidation in the liver. ► LGG increases GLUT4 mRNA ...expression in skeletal muscle. ► LGG leads to an enhanced adiponectin production. ► AMPK activation in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue is increased.
Recently, a probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) has shown several beneficial effects, including improved insulin sensitivity. To clarify the mechanism underlying the insulin-sensitizing effect of LGG, mice were orally administrated with LGG for 13 weeks, and their body weight, insulin sensitivity, and expression of genes related to glucose and lipid metabolism were examined. LGG-treated mice showed attenuated weight gain and enhanced insulin sensitivity in high fat diet group, while no change was observed in normal diet-fed group. The expression of fatty acid oxidative genes in the liver was increased and gluconeogenic genes were decreased. GLUT4 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle and adiponectin production in adipose tissue were significantly increased. This was corroborated with the increased activation of AMPK in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Taken together, these results indicate that LGG treatment improves insulin sensitivity and reduces lipid accumulation by stimulating adiponectin secretion and consequent activation of AMPK.
Kimchi is a traditional Korean food manufactured by fermenting vegetables with probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Many bacteria are involved in the fermentation of kimchi, but LAB become dominant ...while the putrefactive bacteria are suppressed during salting of baechu cabbage and the fermentation. The addition of other subingredients and formation of fermentation byproducts of LAB promote the fermentation process of LAB to eventually lead to eradication of putrefactive- and pathogenic bacteria, and also increase the functionalities of kimchi. Accordingly, kimchi can be considered a vegetable probiotic food that contributes health benefits in a similar manner as yogurt as a dairy probiotic food. Further, the major ingredients of kimchi are cruciferous vegetables; and other healthy functional foods such as garlic, ginger, red pepper powder, and so on are added to kimchi as subingredients. As all of these ingredients undergo fermentation by LAB, kimchi is regarded as a source of LAB; and the fermentative byproducts from the functional ingredients significantly boost its functionality. Because kimchi is both tasty and highly functional, it is typically served with steamed rice at every Korean meal. Health functionality of kimchi, based upon our research and that of other, includes anticancer, antiobesity, anticonstipation, colorectal health promotion, probiotic properties, cholesterol reduction, fibrolytic effect, antioxidative and antiaging properties, brain health promotion, immune promotion, and skin health promotion. In this review we describe the method of kimchi manufacture, fermentation, health functionalities of kimchi and the probiotic properties of its LAB.
This study aimed to determine the alleviating effect of broccoli grown with deep sea water mineral (DSWM) fertilizer extracted from deep sea water on the development of colorectal cancer in C57BL/6N ...mice treated with AOM/DSS. Naturaldream Fertilizer Broccoli (NFB) cultured with deep sea water minerals (DSWM) showed a higher antioxidant effect and mineral content. In addition, orally administered NFB, showed a level of recovery in the colon and spleen tissues of mice compared with those in normal mice through hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Orally administered NFB showed the inhibition of the expression of inflammatory cytokine factors IL-1β, IL-6, TNF, IFN-γ, and IL-12 while increasing the expression of IL-10. Furthermore, the expression of inflammatory cytokines and NF-κB in the liver tissue was inhibited, and that of inflammatory enzymes, such as COX-2 and iNOS, was reduced. In the colon tissue, the expression of p53 and p21 associated with cell cycle arrest increased, and that of Bcl-2 associated with apoptosis decreased. Additionally, the expression of Bax, Bad, Bim, Bak, caspase 9, and caspase 3 increased, indicating enhanced activation of apoptosis-related factors. These results demonstrate that oral administration of broccoli cultivated using DSWM significantly restores spleen and colon tissues and simultaneously inhibits the NF-κB pathway while significantly decreasing cytokine expression. Moreover, by inducing cell cycle arrest and activating cell apoptosis, they also suggest alleviating AOM/DSS-induced colon cancer symptoms in C57BL/6N mice.
▶ High-fat diet decreases neural progenitor cells proliferation and hippocampal neurogenesis. ▶ High-fat diet increases lipid peroxidation and decreases BDNF in hippocampus. ▶ BDNF protects neural ...progenitor cells proliferation against lipid peroxidation.
Obesity is a growing global health problem that contributes to diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, dementia, and cancer. The increased consumption of saturated fats in a high-fat diet (HFD) contributes to obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, long-term memory loss, and cognitive impairment. We tested whether HFD influences adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups and maintained on either a normal diet (ND) or HFD. Seven weeks of HFD significantly decreased the numbers of newly generated cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus without neuronal loss. HFD also increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. The toxic effects of MDA were evaluated on neural progenitor cells (NPCs). MDA reduced the growth of NPCs, but BDNF treatment restored NPCs proliferation. The present data indicate that a HFD impairs hippocampal neurogenesis and NPCs proliferation through increased lipid peroxidation and decreased BDNF.
Inflammation is a characteristic of obesity. The rich compounds in lemon peel have anti‐inflammatory effects. This study examined whether fermented lemon peel can have an anti‐obesity effect on obese ...mice induced by a high‐fat diet (HFD) by regulating inflammation. The lemon peel fermentation supernatant (LPFS) could inhibit the weight gain of mice and improve the lesions of the liver and epididymal adipose tissue. In addition, LPFS regulates blood lipids, liver function, and inflammation‐related indicators in the serum of obese mice. LPFS plays a positive role in regulating the inflammation and obesity‐related genes in liver tissue and adipose tissue of obese mice. High‐performance liquid chromatography showed an increase in the contents of compounds with antioxidant or/and anti‐inflammatory effects and compounds with anti‐obesity effects. These results suggest that the LPFS could help reduce obesity in obese mice induced by an HFD by adjusting the balance of the inflammatory response.
Practical applications
Obesity often increases the risk of chronic diseases, and mild inflammation is a feature of obesity. Therefore, timely suppression of inflammation in the body can help control the occurrence of obesity. This study clarified the anti‐obesity effect of fermented lemon peel on a high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced obese mice by regulating the body's inflammatory response and confirmed that fermentation improves the anti‐inflammatory activity of lemon peel. This study provides important references for future investigation, prophylaxis, and treatment of inflammation and obesity‐related diseases, as well as the advances in functional foods and fermented foods with anti‐inflammatory and anti‐obesity activities.
Figure 1. The experimental design of mice. Normal: standard chow diet and 0.1mL/20g (b.w.) 0.9% normal saline; Control: 45% HFD and 0.1mL/20g (b.w.) saline; L‐Carnitine: mice treated with 45% HFD and 200 mg/kg (b.w.) L‐carnitine; LPFS: mice treated with 45% HFD and 0.1mL/20g (b.w.) lemon peel fermentation supernatant; LPUFS: mice treated with 45% HFD and 0.1mL/20g (b.w.) lemon peel un‐fermentation supernatant.
Although leg length discrepancy (LLD) commonly occurs following in situ fixation with screws for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), the literature regarding this issue is scarce. The purpose ...of this study was to evaluate the degree of LLD in patients who had been treated with in situ fixation with screws and to identify the risk factors for the development of LLD. We retrospectively reviewed 44 patients (mild slip 24, moderate slip, 20) who were treated with in situ fixation with screws for SCFE. The mean age at surgery was 12.2 years and the mean follow-up period was 6.9 years. We investigated the relationship between the final LLD, articulotrochanteric distance difference (ATDD) at skeletal maturity, and various clinical and radiographic parameters using linear regression analysis. The mean values of LLD and ATDD were 13.1 and 11.1 mm, respectively. The LLD and ATDD was significantly higher in patients with moderate slips than in those with mild slips. The degree of slip angle was associated with the degree of LLD only. While there was no significant factor affecting the LLD in moderate slips, younger age and a larger degree of slip angle were associated with the degree of LLD. The degree of slip was the only factor that affected LLD in patients with mild or moderate SCFE who underwent threaded screw fixation. Age at surgery was not associated with LLD, and there were no factors related to the degree of LLD in mild slip. Monitoring for LLD may only be necessary for patients with moderate slip who are treated with in situ screw fixation.
The purpose of this study is to compare the long-term patient-outcomes, spinal fusion, and incidence of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) between minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody ...fusion (MIS-TLIF) and open posterior lumbar interbody fusion (O-PLIF). We retrospectively reviewed 70 consecutive cases who underwent single-level MIS-TLIF or O-PLIF from March 2010 to July 2013. All the patients achieved a minimum of 5-year follow-up. Data collected for each patient included demographic data, perioperative data, and complications. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with Oswestry disability index and visual analogue scale (VAS). Radiological outcomes included fusion rate and ASD. About 34 patients of MIS-TLIF and 36 patients of O-PLIF were enrolled. Higher Charlson comorbidity index scores were noted in MIS-TLIF than in O-PLIF. Blood loss was significantly lower in MIS-TLIF than O-PLIF. There were significant improvements in clinical and radiological outcomes in both groups. At 6 months, in MIS-TLIF group had significantly lower VAS for back pain and disc height compared with in O-PLIF group. The fusion rate was similar between the two groups at 5-year follow-up. Although the total complication rates were similar between the two groups, both the incidence of ASD was significantly higher in O-PLIF group than MIS-TLIF group (P = 0.032). In conclusion, this study indicates that MIS-TLIF is comparable to O-PLIF in terms of fusion rates and clinical outcomes in single-segment degenerative lumbar diseases. In addition, compared with O-PLIF, MIS-TLIF has the advantages of lesser blood loss, faster recovery, and lower incidence of ASD.
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