Physicochemical characteristics of starches from twenty-five tea seed cultivars.

The physicochemical features of starches separated from tea seeds of 25 cultivars were analyzed. The distinct characteristic of tea seed starches was that they had high apparent amylose content (AAC, 28.9-39.9 %) and resistant starch contents (4.6-8.2 %), suggesting that tea starch can be used for production of low glycemic index food. One variety (T12) had smallest breakdown (74.2 RVU) and highest gel hardness, indicating it performed stable during shear thing, resulting in a firm texture. Another variety (T25) had a peak viscosity of 417.6 RVU, a large breakdown and small setback, suggesting a low tendency of retrogradation. There was a range of 61.6 °C to 77.5 °C for the peak gelatinization temperature and 0.163 to 0.390 for the flow behavior index values. These parameters could serve for selecting suitable starches with minor difference in physicochemical properties for food use. Correlation analysis indicated that AAC is a key factor determining starch retrogradation properties. The broad genetic diversity in the tea starch physicochemical features provided it potentially versatile application in the food industry. The results gained from the present study contribute to a better understanding of tea seed starch quality, and encourages its application in many value-added food production.

Effect of carboxymethyl cellulose and gibberellic acid-enriched biochar on osmotic stress tolerance in cotton.

The deleterious impact of osmotic stress, induced by water deficit in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a formidable challenge to cotton production. To protect cotton farming in dry areas, it's crucial to create strong plans to increase soil water and reduce stress on plants. The carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), gibberellic acid (GA3) and biochar (BC) are individually found effective in mitigating osmotic stress. However, combine effect of CMC and GA3 with biochar on drought mitigation is still not studied in depth. The present study was carried out using a combination of GA3 and CMC with BC as amendments on cotton plants subjected to osmotic stress levels of 70 (70 OS) and 40 (40 OS). There were five treatment groups, namely: control (0% CMC-BC and 0% GA3-BC), 0.4%CMC-BC, 0.4%GA3-BC, 0.8%CMC-BC, and 0.8%GA3-BC. Each treatment was replicated five times with a completely randomized design (CRD). The results revealed that 0.8 GA3-BC led to increase in cotton shoot fresh weight (99.95%), shoot dry weight (95.70%), root fresh weight (73.13%), and root dry weight (95.74%) compared to the control group under osmotic stress. There was a significant enhancement in cotton chlorophyll a (23.77%), chlorophyll b (70.44%), and total chlorophyll (35.44%), the photosynthetic rate (90.77%), transpiration rate (174.44%), and internal CO2 concentration (57.99%) compared to the control group under the 40 OS stress. Thus 0.8GA3-BC can be potential amendment for reducing osmotic stress in cotton cultivation, enhancing agricultural resilience and productivity.

Zinc Foliar Application Mitigates Cadmium-Induced Growth Inhibition and Enhances Wheat Growth, Chlorophyll Contents, and Yield.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that significantly threatens plants and the environment. Its toxicity in plants can result in various adverse effects, including reduced growth, altered metabolism, and cell damage. Cadmium can also interfere with nutrient uptake, particularly zinc (Zn), leading to Zn deficiency and further exacerbating Cd toxicity. On the other hand, foliar application of zinc might be a useful strategy to mitigate cadmium (Cd) toxicity in plants. Hence, a pot experiment was conducted with three replications. The wheat plants were treated with various concentrations of Zn as a foliar spray (control, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.5%) in Cd-spiked soil in pots. The results showed that foliar use of Zn at 0.4 or 0.5% resulted in higher plant height, grain yield, and dry matter yield than the control group. Using Zn as foliar spray enriched shoot and grain Zn content while reducing Cd content in the shoot and grain. The leaf's electrolyte leakage (EL) decreased by 15.4, 29.8, 40.7, and 45.9% in the Zn 0.1%, Zn 0.2%, Zn 0.4%, and Zn 0.5% treatments, respectively, compared to the control treatment. Regarding superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, Zn 0.5% treatment showed a decrease of 42.9% over control. Specifically, the Zn 0.1% showed a 27.2%, Zn 0.2% showed a 56.8%, Zn 0.4% showed a 91.1%, and Zn 0.5% showed a 133.7% increase in total chlorophyll content than control. Based on the results, it is recommended that 0.4% Zn solution may be used for foliar application for enhancing crop productivity and Zn concentration in plants under high Cd stress. Additionally, continued research on the mechanisms of cadmium uptake, transport, and detoxification in plants may lead to the identification of new targets for intervention.

AuPt nanoalloy with dual functionalities for sensitive detection of HPV16 DNA.

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), one of the high-risk types, is responsible for 53% of cervical cancers. The development of an early diagnostic approach with high sensitivity, low-cost, point-of-care testing (POCT) for HPV16 is urgent. In our work, a novel dual-functional AuPt nanoalloy-based lateral flow nucleic acid biosensor (AuPt nanoalloy-based LFNAB) was established with excellent sensitivity for detecting HPV16 DNA for the first time. The AuPt nanoalloy particles were prepared by a one-step reduction method, which was simple, rapid, and green. The AuPt nanoalloy particles retained the performance of initial Au nanoparticles owing to the catalytic activity enabled by Pt. Such dual-functionalities offered two kinds of detection alternatives (i.e., normal mode and amplification mode, respectively). The former is produced just by the black color from the AuPt nanoalloy material itself, and the latter is more color sensitive from its superior catalytic activity. The optimized AuPt nanoalloy-based LFNAB exhibited satisfactory quantitative ability in detecting the target HPV16 DNA in the range of 5-200 pM with a LOD of 0.8 pM at the "amplification mode". The proposed dual-functional AuPt nanoalloy-based LFNAB displayed great potential and promising opportunity in POCT clinical diagnostics.

Cake of Japonica, Indica and glutinous rice: Effect of matcha powder on the volatile profiles, nutritional properties and optimal production parameters.

Matcha addition decreased the relative crystallinity and provided with a refreshing flavor for all types of rice cakes. Matcha also significantly enhanced the phenolic content and the oxidant defense of cakes. Compared with the other two types of rice cakes, the one made of glutinous rice are with the lowest starch digestibility. Adding matcha to rice cakes inhibited the in vitro starch digestion, and a significant decrease in the expected glycemic index (eGI) and an increase in resistant starch (RS) were observed. Besides, according to the results of sensory evaluation, an optimized formulation of matcha rice cake was expected to contain 1.6% matcha, 82% water and steamed for 39 min. These findings suggest that matcha could be a favorable food additive to improve both the flavour and nutritional value of steamed rice cake.

Ultrasensitive lateral flow biosensor based on PtAu@CNTs nanocomposite catalytic chromogenic signal amplification strategy for the detection of nucleic acid.

A rapid and ultrasensitive lateral flow biosensor was developed, which based on gold and platinum nanoparticles-decorated carbon nanotubes (PtAu@CNTs) nanocomposite catalytic chromogenic signal amplification strategy for the detection of nucleic acid. Independent platinum and gold nanoparticles modified functional carbon nanotubes (PtAu@CNTs) were prepared by in-situ reduction. Sandwich-type hybridization reaction occurred between PtAu@CNTs-labeled DNA probe, target DNA and Biotin-modified DNA probes, which was captured on test zone of the strip. Accumulation of PtAu@CNTs nano-labels formed a characteristic colored band. After systematic optimization and catalytic chromogen, the naked eye detection limit of PtAu@CNTs-LFA was about 2 pM, and the theoretical detection limit of target DNA is calculated to be 0.43 pM according to the standard curve. The results indicates a rapid, sensitive and specific methods for DNA detection in biological samples, showing great promise for biomedical diagnosis in some malignant diseases in clinical application.

Valorization of Polysaccharides From Benincasa hispida: Physicochemical, Moisturizing, and Antioxidant Skincare Properties.

Benincasa hispida Cogn. (B. hispida) is a popular vegetable in China, and studies have been reported on B. hispida polysaccharides (BPS) preparation. However, few studies have been reported on its physicochemical and skincare properties. In this study, we analyzed the physicochemical properties of BPS, free radical scavenging capability, moisturizing and antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Our results show that BPS was an inhomogeneous acidic polysaccharide that could scavenge a variety of free radicals. Also, BPS had a good moisturizing and antioxidant capability both in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, BPS could alter some key antioxidant enzyme activities and pro-inflammatory factor levels via activating the NRF2/HO-1 pathway, thereby preventing H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis of HDF-1 cells. Our results suggest that BPS exhibited favorable moisturizing and anti-aging properties and might be an attractive candidate for the development of anti-aging skincare products.

Advances in the Utilization of Tea Polysaccharides: Preparation, Physicochemical Properties, and Health Benefits.

Tea polysaccharide (TPS) is the second most abundant ingredient in tea following tea polyphenols. As a complex polysaccharide, TPS has a complex chemical structure and a variety of bioactivities, such as anti-oxidation, hypoglycemia, hypolipidemic, immune regulation, and anti-tumor. Additionally, it shows excellent development and application prospects in food, cosmetics, and medical and health care products. However, numerous studies have shown that the bioactivity of TPS is closely related to its sources, processing methods, and extraction methods. Therefore, the authors of this paper reviewed the relevant recent research and conducted a comprehensive and systematic review of the extraction methods, physicochemical properties, and bioactivities of TPS to strengthen the understanding and exploration of the bioactivities of TPS. This review provides a reference for preparing and developing functional TPS products.

A Glucuronic Acid-Producing Endophyte Pseudomonas sp. MCS15 Reduces Cadmium Uptake in Rice by Inhibition of Ethylene Biosynthesis.

Dynamic regulation of phytohormone levels is pivotal for plant adaptation to harmful conditions. It is increasingly evidenced that endophytic bacteria can regulate plant hormone levels to help their hosts counteract adverse effects imposed by abiotic and biotic stresses, but the mechanisms underlying the endophyte-induced stress resistance of plants remain largely elusive. In this study, a glucuronic acid-producing endophyte Pseudomonas sp. MCS15 alleviated cadmium (Cd) toxicity in rice plants. Inoculation with MCS15 significantly inhibited the expression of ethylene biosynthetic genes including OsACO3, OsACO4, OsACO5, OsACS2, and OsACS5 and thus reduced the content of ethylene in rice roots. In addition, the expression of iron uptake-related genes including OsIRT1, OsIRT2, OsNAS1, OsNAS2 and OsYSL15 was significantly downregulated in the MCS15-inoculated roots under Cd stress. Similarly, glucuronic acid treatment also remarkably inhibited root uptake of Cd and reduced the production of ethylene. However, treatment with 1-aminocyclopropyl carboxylic acid (ACC), a precursor of ethylene, almost abolished the MCS15 or glucuronic acid-induced inhibition of Cd accumulation in rice plants. Conversely, treatment with aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG), an inhibitor of ethylene biosynthesis, markedly reduced the Cd accumulation in plants. Taken together, our results revealed that the endophytic bacteria MCS15-secreted glucuronic acid inhibited the biosynthesis of ethylene and thus weakened iron uptake-related systems in rice roots, which contributed to preventing the Cd accumulation.

Bleomycin-Fe(II) agent with potentiality for treating drug-resistant H1N1 influenza virus: A study using electrochemical RNA beacons.

Rapid emergence of new strains of drug-resistant H1N1 influenza viruses calls for effective drugs for the controls prior to their outbreaks. In the present work, electrochemical H1N1 RNA beacons have been newly designed for exploring the potentiality of an anticancer agent of Bleomycin (BLM) with Fe (ΙΙ) ions (BLM-Fe(ΙΙ)) alternatively the treatment of drug-resistant H1N1 strains with H274Y gene mutation. Herein, biotinylated (-) ssRNA of H1N1 virus and its complementary (+) ssRNA were labeled with electrochemical signal probes of ferrocene and anthraquinone, respectively. The resultants were hybridized and conjugated with avidin-modified magnetic beads to create electrochemical RNA beacons. The electrochemical signal variation of the H1N1 RNA beacon treated with the RNA degradation agent of BLM-Fe(ΙΙ) were monitored. Results indicate that the BLM-Fe(ΙΙ) agent could effectively cleave both H1N1 dsRNAs and ssRNAs at selective cutting sites, as evidenced by the mass spectrometry analysis. This indicates that the BLM-Fe(II) agent could be utilized to block the viral-host infection process by curbing the host-cell viral RNA-mRNA transcription or inactivate the viruses through the cleavage of viral genomes. The efficiency of the BLM-Fe(ΙΙ) agent was verified with clinical seasonal H1N1 samples using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The therapeutic gene drug of BLM-Fe(ΙΙ) holds great potential for controlling new strains of H1N1 virus resistant to clinical antiviral drugs. More importantly, the so designed RNA beacons may provide a rapid, sensitive and cost-effective platform of drug screening by monitoring the drug-DNA/RNA interactions.

CBr4 Mediated [4 + 1] Dehydrocyclization for the Synthesis of Functionalized Imidazo[1,5-a]heterocycles from Pyridin-2-ylmethanamines and Aldehydes.

A CBr4 mediated [4 + 1] dehydrocyclization was developed for the synthesis of imidazo[1,5-a]heterocycles from pyridin-2-ylmethanamines and aldehydes. This method was highly practical with the advantages of wide substrate scope, functional group tolerance, and mild reaction conditions.

Gold nanorods-based lateral flow biosensors for sensitive detection of nucleic acids.

A gold nanorod (AuNR)-based lateral flow nucleic acid biosensor (LFNAB) is reported for visual detection of DNA with a short test time and high sensitivity. AuNRs with an approximate length of 60 nm were utilized as a colored tag to label the detection DNA probe (Det-DNA). The capture DNA probe (Cap-DNA) was immobilized on the test region of LFNAB. Sandwich-type complex was formed among the AuNR-Det-DNA, target DNA (Tar-DNA), and Cap-DNA on the LFNAB by Watson-Crick base pairing. In the presence of Tar-DNA, AuNRs were thus seized on the test region of LFNAB, and the accumulation of AuNRs subsequently produced a characteristic colored band. The optimized LFNAB was able to detect 10 pM Tar-DNA without instrumentation. Quantitative analysis could be established by measuring the intensity of test band using a portable strip reader, and the detection limit of 2 pM target DNA was achieved on the LFNAB without signal amplification. The detection limit of the AuNR-based LFNAB is 250-fold lower than that of gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based LFNABs. This work unveiled a sensitive, rapid, and economical strategy for the detection of nucleic acids, and simultaneously opening new promising routes for disease diagnosis and clinical applications. Gold nanorods are used as colored tags for lateral flow nucleic acid biosensor.

Pseudomonas fluorescens DN16 Enhances Cucumber Defense Responses Against the Necrotrophic Pathogen Botrytis cinerea by Regulating Thermospermine Catabolism.

Plants can naturally interact with beneficial rhizobacteria to mediate defense responses against foliar pathogen infection. However, the mechanisms of rhizobacteria-mediated defense enhancement remain rarely clear. In this study, beneficial rhizobacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens DN16 greatly increased the resistance of cucumber plants against Botrytis cinerea infection. RNA-sequencing analyses showed that several polyamine-associated genes including a thermospermine (TSpm) synthase gene (CsACL5) and polyamine catabolic genes (CsPAO1, CsPAO5, and CsCuAO1) were notably induced by DN16. The associations of TSpm metabolic pathways with the DN16-mediated cucumber defense responses were further investigated. The inoculated plants exhibited the increased leaf TSpm levels compared with the controls. Accordantly, overexpression of CsACL5 in cucumber plants markedly increased leaf TSpm levels and enhanced defense against B. cinerea infection. The functions of TSpm catabolism in the DN16-mediated defense responses of cucumber plants to B. cinerea were further investigated by pharmacological approaches. Upon exposure to pathogen infection, the changes of leaf TSpm levels were positively related to the enhanced activities of polyamine catabolic enzymes including polyamine oxidases (PAOs) and copper amine oxidases (CuAOs), which paralleled the transcription of several defense-related genes such as pathogenesis-related protein 1 (CsPR1) and defensin-like protein 1 (CsDLP1). However, the inhibited activities of polyamine catabolic enzymes abolished the DN16-induced cucumber defense against B. cinerea infection. This was in line with the impaired expression of defense-related genes in the inoculated plants challenged by B. cinerea. Collectively, our findings unraveled a pivotal role of TSpm catabolism in the regulation of the rhizobacteria-primed defense states by mediating the immune responses in cucumber plants after B. cinerea infection.

Sensitive detection of microRNA-21 in cancer cells and human serum with Au@Si nanocomposite and lateral flow assay.

We report a highly sensitive approach for detecting microRNA-21 (miR-21) in cancer cells and human serum by using Au@Si nanocomposite labeled lateral flow assay. The Au@Si nanocomposite was prepared by coating numerous 3-5 nm gold nanoparticles (GNP) on a silica nanoparticle (SiNP) with a diameter of 150 nm and used as colored label on the lateral flow assay for signal amplification. TEM results show there are around 1000 GNPs coated on the SiNP surface. The principle of miR-21 detection is based on on-strip DNA-microRNA hybridization reactions to form DNA-miR-21-DNA-Au@Si complexes, which are captured on the test zone of the lateral flow test strip and produce a visible red band. A thiol-modified detecting DNA probe (Det-DNA) and a biotin-modified capturing DNA probe (Cap-DNA), which are complementary to miR-21, were used to prepare the lateral flow test strips. After systematic optimization, the method can detect a minimum concentration of 1.0 pM miR-21, which is 60 times lower than that of the GNP-based lateral flow assay (Gao et al. Biosens & Bioelectro, 2014, 54, 578-584). The method was applied to detect miR-21 in cancer cells and spiked human serum with satisfactory results.

Target-induced molecular-switch on triple-helix DNA-functionalized carbon nanotubes for simultaneous visual detection of nucleic acids and proteins.

We report an easy and efficient approach based on a target-induced molecular-switch on triple-helix DNA (THD)-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the simultaneous visual detection of nucleic acids and proteins with a lateral flow nucleic acid biosensor. The assay had the capability to detect a minimum of 25 pM target DNA and 0.25 nM thrombin simultaneously within 20 min.

Porous graphene oxide/chitosan beads with honeycomb-biomimetic microchannels as hydrophilic adsorbent for the selective capture of glycopeptides.

A porous hydrophilic affinity bead consisting of graphene oxide and chitosan (pGC) with the honeycomb-biomimetic microchannels has been synthesized and applied as hydrophilic adsorbent for selective capture of glycopeptides. The pGC beads have open-porous structure, honeycomb-like microchannels, large interior voids, and hydrophilic property. Based on the multivalent hydrophilic interactions between glycan moieties on glycopeptides and amino groups and hydroxyl groups on chitosan, the glycopeptides were enriched and separated by pGC beads. The pGC beads exhibit high sensitivity (detection limit, 5 fmol), binding capacity (111.1 mg/g), enrichment selectivity (molar ratio of human IgG to BSA tryptic digests of 1:200), and recovery yield (89.78%). By combing pGC beads and nano LC-MS/MS analysis, a total of 325 N-glycosylated peptides corresponding to 152 N-glycosylated proteins were identified from 2 µL human serum. These experimental results demonstrate the practical application of the method in glycoproteomics research. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of fabrication for porous hydrophilic affinity beads (pGC) with honeycomb-biomimetic microchannels based on graphene oxide (GO) and chitosan (CS). The pGC was successfully applied to capturing and identifying low-abundant glycopeptides from biological samples.

miR­146a improves hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism by targeting MED1.

Non­alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide. Increasing evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the progression of NAFLD. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression level and roles of miR­146a in fatty liver of high­fat diet (HFD) and ob/ob mice and fatty acid­treated hepatic cells using RT­qPCR and western blot analysis. The results showed that the expression of miR­146a was significantly decreased in the livers of high­fat diet (HFD) and ob/ob mice and free fatty acid­stimulated cells by RT­qPCR. Overexpression of hepatic miR­146a improved glucose and insulin tolerance as well as lipid accumulation in the liver by promoting the oxidative metabolism of fatty acids. In addition, the overexpression of miR­146a increased the amount of mitochondria and promoted mitochondrial respiration in hepatocytes. Similarly, inhibition of miR­146a expression levels significantly reduced mitochondrial numbers in AML12 cells as well as the expression of mitochondrial respiration related genes. Additionally, MED1 was a direct target of miR­146a and restoring MED1 abolished the metabolic effects of miR­146a on lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function. Therefore, results of the present study identified a novel function of miR­146a in glucose and lipid metabolism in targeting MED1, suggesting that miR­146a serves as a potential therapeutic target for metabolic syndrome disease.

Long non-coding RNA ANRIL enhances mitochondrial function of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the MiR-199a-5p/ARL2 axis.

Although the roles of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL (Antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4A locus) have been established in various tumors, its roles in mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells are still unclear. This work aims to explore lncRNA ANRIL roles in regulating the mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming of liver cancer cells. First, we found that lncRAN ANRIL expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues or cells compared with the normal adjacent tissues and normal tissues or cells. Functional experiment showed that overexpression of lncRNA ANRIL promoted mitochondrial function in HCC cells, evident by the increased mitochondrial DNA copy numbers, ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) level, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the expression levels of mitochondrial markers, while ANRIL knockdown exerted the opposite effects. Mechanistically, lncRNA ANRIL acted as a competing endogenous RNA to increase ARL2 (ADP-ribosylationfactor-like 2) expression via sponging miR-199a-5p. Notably, the miR-199a-5p/ARL2 axis is necessary for ANRIL-mediated promoting effects on HCC cell mitochondrial function. This work reveals a novel ANRIL-miR-199a-5p-ARL2 axis in HCC cell progression, which might provide potential targets for HCC treatment.

Lateral flow biosensors based on the use of micro- and nanomaterials: a review on recent developments.

This review (with 187 refs.) summarizes the progress that has been made in the design of lateral flow biosensors (LFBs) based on the use of micro- and nano-materials. Following a short introduction into the field, a first section covers features related to the design of LFBs, with subsections on strip-based, cotton thread-based and vertical flow- and syringe-based LFBs. The next chapter summarizes methods for sample pretreatment, from simple method to membrane-based methods, pretreatment by magnetic methods to device-integrated sample preparation. Advances in flow control are treated next, with subsections on cross-flow strategies, delayed and controlled release and various other strategies. Detection conditionst and mathematical modelling are briefly introduced in the following chapter. A further chapter covers methods for reliability improvement, for example by adding other validation lines or adopting different detection methods. Signal readouts are summarized next, with subsections on color-based, luminescent, smartphone-based and SERS-based methods. A concluding section summarizes the current status and addresses challenges in future perspectives. Graphical abstractRecent development and breakthrough points of lateral flow biosensors.

Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Sensor Based on Sliver Nanoparticle-Decorated Carbon Nanotubes.

The authors report a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor based on a sliver nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotube (AgNPs-MWCNT). Highly-dispersed AgNPs were loaded on the MWCNT surface though a simple and facile two-step method. The morphology, components, and the size of the AgNPs-MWCNT nanocomposite were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ICP analysis. Benefitting from the synergistic effect between the AgNPs and MWCNT, the AgNPs-MWCNT nanocomposite exhibited high electrocatalytic activity for H2O2; the AgNPs-MWCNT electrochemical sensor was prepared by coating the AgNPs-MWCNT nanocomposite on a glassy carbon electrode, and it showed a fast and sensitive response to H2O2 with a linear range of 1 to 1000 µM. The detection limit was 0.38 µM (S/N = 3). The sensor was applied to detect H2O2 in spiked human blood serum samples with satisfactory results.