The nutritional components in oat and tartary buckwheat had been assessed to have cholesterollowering effects. However, The effect of oat and tartary buckwheat based-food (OF) on cholesterol-lowering ...and gut microbiota in hypercholesterole hamsters was still limited studied because they are usually consumed in whole gran as well as after being processed. In this study, normal diets, high fat diet (HFD) with/without OF were fed to hamsters for 30 days respectively and growth parameters, metabolic parameters, and gut microbiota were investigated, respectively. It was found that OF significantly decreased plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), lowered liver TC, cholesterol ester (CE), and triglycerides (TG) concentrations, and increased fecal weight and bile acids (BA) concentrations, compared with HFD (p < 0.05). Moreover, the concentrations of acetate, propionate, butyrate and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly increased in hamsters fed with OF, compared with HFD (p < 0.05). OF changed the overall structure of gut microbiota. The relative abundances of Erysipelotrichaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae were decreased and the relative abundance of Eubacteriaceae was increased, compared with HFD. These results suggested that OF could reduce the concentrations of plasma lipid by inhibiting cholesterol absorption in liver and promoting excretions of fecal lipid and BA. And it also increased SCFAs and modulated the gut microbiota effectively to exert the hypocholesterolemic effects.
Probiotics are widely used for the improvement of animals' growth and health. However, few marine aquatic probiotics are applied and licensed in China. In this study, a Bacillus spp. strain was ...isolated from the Hulong grouper gastrointestinal tract, which was identified as a new strain of Bacillus subtilis and was named as 7k. B. subtilis 7k showed desirable capability of sporulation and resistance to heat, simulated gastric juice and simulated duodenum juice, indicating its potential as probiotics. Seven antimicrobial chemicals were found in the secretion of the B. subtilis 7k. B. subtilis 7k addition in diet promoted the growth rate of Hulong groupers. Moreover, B. subtilis 7k can inhibit infection by iridovirus, making B. subtilis 7k a suitable kind of probiotic for maintaining fishes’ health. Our results also revealed that B. subtilis 7k induced non-specific immune response in Hulong grouper under virus infection. Hulong grouper fed by diets containing B. subtilis 7k at 108 and 1010 cfu g−1 for 4–8 weeks were significantly strengthened in serum lysozyme activity, serum alternative complement activity (ACH50), serum bactericidal activity, respiratory burst, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and phagocytic activity of head kidney leucocytes when compared with those fed by control diets. In conclusion, B. subtilis 7k was isolated and characterized to be a kind of process enduring, growth stimulating, immunity enhancing and health promoting probiotic using in grouper culture.
•Bacillus subtilis strain 7k was isolated from the Hulong grouper gastrointestinal tract and it was characterized to be a kind of process enduring, growth stimulating, immunity enhancing and health promoting probiotic using in grouper culture.
Abstract
Using Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-based markers to screen populations at high risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an attractive preventive approach. Here, we develop a comprehensive risk ...score (CRS) that combines risk effects of EBV and human genetics for NPC risk stratification and validate this CRS within an independent, population-based dataset. Comparing the top decile with the bottom quintile of CRSs, the odds ratio of developing NPC is 21 (95% confidence interval: 12–37) in the validation dataset. When combining the top quintile of CRS with EBV serology tests currently used for NPC screening in southern China, the positive prediction value of screening increases from 4.70% (serology test alone) to 43.24% (CRS plus serology test). By identifying individuals at a monogenic level of NPC risk, this CRS approach provides opportunities for personalized risk prediction and population screening in endemic areas for the early diagnosis and secondary prevention of NPC.
D. Don (
, Chinese: Ban Zhi Lian), a well-known medicinal plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, is rich in flavonoids. It possesses antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities. In ...this study, we evaluated the inhibitory activities of
extracts and its active components against HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) and SARS-CoV2 viral cathepsin L protease (Cat L PR). UPLC/HRMS was used to identify and quantify the major active flavonoids in different
extracts, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays were used to determine HIV-1 PR and Cat L PR inhibitions and identify structure-activity relationships. Molecular docking was also performed, to explore the diversification in bonding patterns of the active flavonoids upon binding to the two PRs. Three
extracts (SBW, SB30, and SB60) and nine flavonoids inhibited HIV-1 PR with an IC
range from 0.006 to 0.83 mg/mL. Six of the flavonoids showed 10~37.6% inhibition of Cat L PR at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. The results showed that the introduction of the 4'-hydroxyl and 6-hydroxyl/methoxy groups was essential in the 5,6,7-trihydroxyl and 5,7,4'-trihydroxyl flavones, respectively, to enhance their dual anti-PR activities. Hence, the 5,6,7,4'-tetrahydroxyl flavone scutellarein (HIV-1 PR, IC
= 0.068 mg/mL; Cat L PR, IC
= 0.43 mg/mL) may serve as a lead compound to develop more effective dual protease inhibitors. The 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyl flavone luteolin also showed a potent and selective inhibition of HIV-1 PR (IC
= 0.039 mg/mL).
•The influence of fire exposure and column-to-beam bending capacity ratio on the post-fire seismic performance of reinforced concrete frames were investigated experimentally.•Under room temperature, ...the strong-beam-weak-column frame failed in column-end shearing, the strong-column-weak-beam frame failed in beam-end plastic hinging.•After exposure to fire, the failure modes of both the two frames changed to column shear-bond failure.•The bearing capacity, stiffness, ductility factor, and energy dissipation decreased after fire, and the bearing capacity of the strong-beam-weak-column frame decreased more seriously.
To investigate the post-fire seismic behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) frames with different column-to-beam bending capacity ratios, four specimens were fabricated, which included a strong-beam-weak-column frame and a strong-column-weak-beam frame either under room temperature or after being exposed to fire. The fire test was conducted in a furnace chamber, followed by quasi-static tests under a low-frequency cyclic load. The crack patterns, hysteretic loops, plastic hinges, and failure modes were investigated in the loading process. The influence of two factors, i.e., the fire exposure and the column-to-beam bending capacity ratio, on the mechanical performance, ductility, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation was compared and analysed. The experimental results indicated that the ultimate bearing capacity, the stiffness, the ductility factor, and the energy dissipation capacity of the RC frames decreased after fire exposure. The bearing capacity of the strong-beam-weak-column frame decreased even more seriously. Although the yielding displacements of the post-fire frames increased, their ultimate displacements decreased. In addition, the strong-column-weak-beam frame under room temperature failed in the form of beam-end plastic hinging, while after being exposed to fire, the failure mode changed to shear-bond failure in column.
(1) Background: Exercise is effective in promoting and maintaining bone mass. The aim of this study was to detect the exercise-induced metabolic changes in bone tissue of zebrafish. (2) Methods: ...Thirty-eight zebrafish (Danio rerio, six months old) were analyzed. The exercise group (
= 19) received 8 weeks of counter-current swimming training. The control group (
= 19) was not subjected to exercise. Mineralization was quantified, and alkaline phosphatase (Alp) and anti-tartrate acid phosphatase (Trap) activities were estimated (
= 12). The metabolomics (
= 12) and transcriptomics (
= 14) data of bone tissue were used for the integration analyses. (3) Results: The results showed that the exercise training improved the bone mineralization of zebrafish, e.g., the exercise group (5.74 × 10
± 7.63 × 10
) had a higher mean optical density than the control group (5.26 × 10
± 8.56 × 10
,
= 0.046) for the caudal vertebrae. The amount of mineralized matrix in scales of the exercised zebrafish was also higher (0.156 ± 0.012 vs. 0.102 ± 0.003,
= 0.005). Both histological staining and biochemical analysis revealed increased Alp activity (0.81 ± 0.26 vs. 0.76 ± 0.01,
= 0.002) and decreased Trap activity (1.34 ± 0.01 vs. 1.36 ± 0.01,
= 0.005) in the exercise group. A total of 103 different metabolites (DMs, VIP ≥ 1, fold change (FC) ≥ 1.20 or ≤0.83,
< 0.050) were identified. Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, β-alanine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis were the significantly enriched metabolic pathways (
< 0.050). A total of 35 genes (
≤ 0.050 (BH), |Log2FC| ≥ 0.5) were coenriched with the 103 DMs in the four identified pathways. Protein-protein interaction network analysis of the 35 genes showed that
,
, and
were the core genes. (4) Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, β-alanine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis contributed to exercise-induced improvements in bone mass.
systems that incorporate features of the tumor microenvironment and model the dynamic response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) may facilitate efforts in precision immuno-oncology and the ...development of effective combination therapies. Here, we demonstrate the ability to interrogate
response to ICB using murine- and patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (MDOTS/PDOTS). MDOTS/PDOTS isolated from mouse and human tumors retain autologous lymphoid and myeloid cell populations and respond to ICB in short-term three-dimensional microfluidic culture. Response and resistance to ICB was recapitulated using MDOTS derived from established immunocompetent mouse tumor models. MDOTS profiling demonstrated that TBK1/IKKε inhibition enhanced response to PD-1 blockade, which effectively predicted tumor response
Systematic profiling of secreted cytokines in PDOTS captured key features associated with response and resistance to PD-1 blockade. Thus, MDOTS/PDOTS profiling represents a novel platform to evaluate ICB using established murine models as well as clinically relevant patient specimens.
Resistance to PD-1 blockade remains a challenge for many patients, and biomarkers to guide treatment are lacking. Here, we demonstrate feasibility of
profiling of PD-1 blockade to interrogate the tumor immune microenvironment, develop therapeutic combinations, and facilitate precision immuno-oncology efforts.
.
Soil management practices affect rhizosphere microorganisms and enzyme activities, which in turn influence soil ecosystem processes. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of ...different nitrogen application rates on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rhizosphere soil microorganisms and enzyme activities, and their temporal variations in relation to soil fertility under supplemental irrigation conditions in a fluvo-aquic region. For this, we established a split-plot experiment for two consecutive years (2014–2015 and 2015–2016) in the field with three levels of soil moisture: water deficit to no irrigation (W1), medium irrigation to (70±5)% of soil relative moisture after jointing stage (W2), and adequate irrigation to (80±5)% of soil relative moisture after jointing stage (W3); and three levels of nitrogen: 0 kg ha−1 (N1), 195 kg ha−1 (N2) and 270 kg ha−1 (N3). Results showed that irrigation and nitrogen application significantly increased rhizosphere microorganisms and enzyme activities. Soil microbiological properties showed different trends in response to N level; the highest values of bacteria, protease, catalase and phosphatase appeared in N2, while the highest levels of actinobacteria, fungi and urease were observed in N3. In addition, these items performed best under medium irrigation (W2) relative to W1 and W3; particularly the maximum microorganism (bacteria, actinobacteria and fungi) amounts appeared at W2, 5.37×107 and 6.35×107 CFUs g−1 higher than those at W3 in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016, respectively; and these changes were similar in both growing seasons. Microbe-related parameters fluctuated over time but their seasonality did not hamper the irrigation and fertilization-induced effects. Further, the highest grain yields of 13 309.2 and 12 885.7 kg ha−1 were both obtained at W2N2 in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016, respectively. The selected properties, soil microorganisms and enzymes, were significantly correlated with wheat yield and proved to be valuable indicators of soil quality. These results clearly demonstrated that the combined treatment (W2N2) significantly improved soil microbiological properties, soil fertility and wheat yield on the Huanghuai Plain, China.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) C promoter (Cp) hypermethylation, a crucial factor for EBV latent infection of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells, has been recognized as a promising biomarker for ...nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) detection. In this study, we develop a novel EBV Cp methylation quantification (E-CpMQ) assay and evaluate its diagnostic performance for NPC detection.
A novel qPCR assay for simultaneous quantification of methylated- and unmethylated EBV Cp was developed by the combinational modification of MethyLight and QASM, with an innovative calibrator to improve the detection accuracy and consistency. The NP swab samples and synthetic standards were used for the analytical validation of the E-CpMQ. The diagnostic efficacy of the developed E-CpMQ assay was validated in 137 NPC patients and 137 non-NPC controls.
The E-CpMQ assay can detect the EBV Cp methylation ratio in one reaction system under 10 copies with 100 % recognition specificity, which is highly correlated to pyrosequencing with a correlation coefficient over 0.99. The calibrated E-CpMQ assay reduces the coefficient of variation by an average of 55.5 % with a total variance of less than 0.06 units standard deviation (SD). Linear methylation ratio detection range from 4.76 to 99.01 %. The sensitivity and specificity of the E-CpMQ respectively are 96.4 % (95 % CI: 91.7-98.8 %), 89.8 % (95 % CI: 83.5-94.3 %).
The developed E-CpMQ assay with a calibrator enables accurate and reproducible EBV Cp methylation ratio quantification and offers a sensitive, specific, cost-effective method for NPC early detection.
To evaluate the effects of naked oat cultivars on their phenolic contents and antioxidant activities, the oat seeds from 21 different cultivars in China were collected, and their major nutritional ...components, compositions of polyphenols, and antioxidant activities were measured. As the results, oat cultivars affected its phenolic composition and antioxidant activity significantly. Vanillin, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, avenanthramide C（Bc）, avenanthramide A（Bp）, and avenanthramide B（Bf） in oat polyphenols extracts were detected in all cultivars of oat, while caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and rutin were partly detected. All oat cultivars showed significant free radical scavenging activity, although their activities were lower than that of vitamin C（VC）. Different oat varieties showed different antioxidant activities, among which Yanke 1 had the best ability to scavenge ·OH（（58.78±1.99） μg mL-1）, Baiyan 10 showed the strongest DPPH·（（22.00±0.43） μg mL-1） and ABTS·＋（（6.92±0.44） μg mL-1） scavenging activity, and Dingyou 1 showed good scavenging ability of DPPH·（（22.71±0.42） μg mL-1） and ·OH（（81.50±1.73） μg mL-1）. In addition, the correlation coefficients of contents between the major nutritional components in different cultivars of oat and phenolic compounds indicated that determination of main nutrients could be used as an easy technique to evaluate approximately the contents and compositions of oat polyphenols, which simplifies the selection of good oat cultivar.
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