Structure, antioxidant activity, and neuroprotective effect of black soybean (Glycine max (L.) merr.) protein hydrolysates.

The potential biological properties of protein hydrolysates have generated considerable research interest. This study was to hydrolyze black soybean protein (BSP) using five different commercial enzymes, and elucidate the influence of these enzymes on the structure and biological activities of the resulting hydrolysates. Enzymatic treatment changed secondary and tertiary structures of BSP, decreased particle size, α-helix and ß-sheet. Alcalase hydrolysate had the highest hydrolytic degree (29.84 %), absolute zeta potential (38.43 mV), the smallest particle (149.87 nm) and molecular weight (<3 kDa). In silico revealed alcalase hydrolysate had the strongest antioxidant potential. This finding was further validated through the lowest IC50 (mg/mL) in DPPH (2.67), ABTS (0.82), Fe2+ chelating (1.33) and·OH (1.12). Moreover, cellular antioxidant assays showed alcalase hydrolysate had the strongest cytoprotective effects on H2O2-induced PC12 cells. These results suggest BSPEHs, especially those prepared by alcalase, have potential as bioactive ingredients for nutrition, healthcare and food industry.

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure treatment on food composition and applications in food industry: A review.

Nowadays, with the diversification of nutritious and healthy foods, consumers are increasingly seeking clean-labeled products. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) as a cold sterilization technology can effectively sterilize and inactivate enzymes, which is conducive to the production of high-quality and safe food products with extended shelf life. This technology reduces the addition of food additives and contributes to environmental protection. Moreover, HHP enhances the content and bioavailability of nutrients, reduces the anti-nutritional factors and the risk of food allergen concerns. Therefore, HHP is widely used in the processing of fruit and vegetable juice drinks, alcoholic, meat products and aquatic products, etc. A better understanding of the influence of HHP on food composition and applications can guide the development of food industry and contribute to the development of non-thermally processed and environmentally friendly foods.

Double-negative T cells with a distinct transcriptomic profile are abundant in the peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Double-negative T (DNT) cells comprise a distinct subset of T lymphocytes that have been implicated in immune responses. The aim of this study was to characterize the peripheral DNT population in breast cancer (BC) patients. METHODS: DNT cells were isolated from the peripheral blood samples of BC patients and healthy controls by flow cytometry. The sorted DNT cells were analyzed by the Smart-seq2 for single-cell full-length transcriptome profiling. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the BC and control groups were screened and functionally annotated by Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses using R. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was constructed using the CytoHubba and MCODE plug-in of Cytoscape software to identify the core genes. Survival status, DNA methylation level, immune infiltration and immune checkpoint expression were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier Plotter, UALCAN, MethSeuvr, TIMER, and TISIDB respectively. The sequencing results were verified by RT-qPCR. RESULT: The percentage of DNT cells was higher in the BC patients compared to healthy controls. We identified 289 DEGs between the DNT populations of both groups. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that the DEGs were mainly related to immunoglobulin mediated immune response, complement activation, and B cell receptor signaling. The PPI networks of the common DEGs were constructed using Cytoscape, and 10 core genes were identified, including TMEM176B, C1QB, C1QC, RASD2, and IFIT3. The expression levels of these genes correlated with the prognosis and immune infiltration in BC patients, and were validated by RT-qPCR (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DNT cells are abundant in patients with BC, and might exert anti-tumor immune responses by regulating genes such as TMEM176B and EGR1.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of double-negative T cells in colorectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the T-lymphocyte subset distribution and the diagnostic and prognosis value of double-negative T (DNT) cells in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: This retrospective study compared the T-lymphocyte subsets and DNT of 114 patients with CRC with those of 107 healthy controls (HC). The diagnostic potential of DNT and T-lymphocyte subsets was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and prognostic values were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier curve and the Cox regression model. Results: The percentages of CD8+ T cells and DNT cells, and value of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), were remarkably higher in patients with CRC than in those with HC, but the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was decreased. Using ROC curve analysis, DNT cell percentage, CEA, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio all had good diagnostic efficacy, with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.865, 0.786 and 0.624, respectively. The combination of DNT cell percentage and CEA had an AUC of 0.905, which was significantly higher than that of any single biomarker (p < 0.05). In univariate analysis, the Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) clinical stage, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and DNT cell percentage were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, TNM clinical staging (HR = 2.37, 95 % CI: 1.15-4.90), a decreased CD4+/CD8+ ratio (HR = 0.33, 95 % CI: 0.15-0.74), and an increased DNT cell percentage (HR = 2.29, 95 % CI: 1.11-4.73) were independent prognostic factors for CRC. Conclusion: The percentage of DNT cells may be useful as an evaluation index for CRC diagnosis and prognosis, which was even better when combined with serum CEA.

Design, synthesis and cytotoxic activity of sulfonylated derivatives of camptothecin.

With the intention of advancing our research on diverse C-20 derivatives of camptothecin (CPT), 38 CPT derivatives bearing sulphonamide and sulfonylurea chemical scaffolds and different substituent groups have been designed, synthesised and evaluated in vitro for cytotoxicity against four tumour cell lines, A-549 (lung carcinoma), KB (nasopharyngeal carcinoma), MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast cancer) and KBvin (an MDR KB subiline). As a result, all the synthesised compounds showed promising in vitro cytotoxic activity against the four cancer cell lines tested, and were more potent than irinotecan. Importantly, compounds 12b, 12f, 12j and 13 l possessed better antiproliferative activity against all tested tumour cell lines with IC50 values of 0.0118 - 0.5478 µM, and resulted approximately 3 to 4 times more cytotoxic than topotecan against multidrug-resistant KBvin subline. Convincing evidences are achieved that incorporation of sulphonamide and sulfonylurea motifs into position-20 of camptothecin confers markedly enhanced cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.

Effect of ultrafine grinding on the structure and physical properties of pregelatinized rice starch.

This study used a combination method of ultrafine grinding and pregelatinization to modify rice starch (RS) to delay its retrogradation and provide a rationale for prolonging rice product shelf life. The structure and physicochemical properties of the pregelatinized ultrafine grinding rice starch (PURS) were compared with those of RS, ultrafine grinding rice starch (URS), and pregelatinized rice starch (PRS). The microstructure, molecular weight, branched starch length distribution, short-range order, crystal structure, and physical properties of RS, URS, PRS, and PURS were analyzed, respectively. Results showed that RS, URS, PRS, and PURS granules exhibited similar spherical or polygonal shapes, and the content of amylose and short-branched starch in PURS increased compared with RS, URS, and PRS. Furthermore, the cross-polarization of PRS and PURS disappeared. Long-chain amylopectin and average molecular weight of PURS decreased significantly after ultrafine grinding. Our study suggested reduced breakdown value and setback value and improved gel stability, and PURS was beneficial for delaying retrogradation compared to RS, URS, and PRS. The ultrafine grinding method improved the water swelling capacity (WSC), solubility, pasting properties, and gelation properties of PRS. The hardness of PURS was reduced by ultrafine grinding. These suggest that the combination of ultrafine grinding and pregelatinization could improve the properties of RS. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the structure of PURS significantly influenced the physicochemical properties. The present study was helpful in better understanding the importance of ultrafine grinding in improving the anti-retrogradation of PURS and provided new insights into extending the shelf life of rice products by ultrafine grinding and pregelatinization.

Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of peach leaves and fruits in response to pruning.

BACKGROUND: Pruning is an important cultivation management option that has important effects on peach yield and quality. However, the effects of pruning on the overall genetic and metabolic changes in peach leaves and fruits are poorly understood. RESULTS: The transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles of leaves and fruits from trees subjected to pruning and unpruning treatments were measured. A total of 20,633 genes and 622 metabolites were detected. Compared with those in the control, 1,127 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 77 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified in leaves from pruned and unpruned trees (pdLvsupdL), whereas 423 DEGs and 29 DEMs were identified in fruits from the pairwise comparison pdFvsupdF. The content of three auxin analogues was upregulated in the leaves of pruned trees, the content of all flavonoids detected in the leaves decreased, and the expression of almost all genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway decreased. The phenolic acid and amino acid metabolites detected in fruits from pruned trees were downregulated, and all terpenoids were upregulated. The correlation analysis revealed that DEGs and DEMs in leaves were enriched in tryptophan metabolism, auxin signal transduction, and flavonoid biosynthesis. DEGs and DEMs in fruits were enriched in flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, as well as L-glutamic acid biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Pruning has different effects on the leaves and fruits of peach trees, affecting mainly the secondary metabolism and hormone signalling pathways in leaves and amino acid biosynthesis in fruits.

Gate-defined quantum point contacts in a germanium quantum well.

We report an experimental study of quantum point contacts defined in a high-quality strained germanium quantum well with layered electric gates. At a zero magnetic field, we observed quantized conductance plateaus in units of 2e2/h. Bias-spectroscopy measurements reveal that the energy spacing between successive one-dimensional subbands ranges from 1.5 to 5 meV as a consequence of the small effective mass of the holes and the narrow gate constrictions. At finite magnetic fields perpendicular to the device plane, the edges of the conductance plateaus get split due to the Zeeman effect and Landé g factors were estimated to be ∼6.6 for the holes in the germanium quantum well. We demonstrate that all quantum point contacts in the same device have comparable performances, indicating a reliable and reproducible device fabrication process. Thus, our work lays a foundation for investigating multiple forefronts of physics in germanium-based quantum devices that require quantum point contacts as building blocks.

Electrochemical ring-opening carboxylation of cyclic carbonate with carbon dioxide.

Electroreductive ring-opening carboxylation of styrene carbonates with CO2 to achieve dicarboxylic acids and/or ß-hydroxy acids has been developed via the selective cleavage of the C(sp3)-O bond in cyclic carbonates. The product selectivity is probably determined by the stability and reactivity of the key benzylic radical and carbanion intermediate.

Alpine Rhododendron population contractions lead to spatial distribution mismatch with their pollinators under climate change.

The effect of global climate change on plant-pollinator interaction is not limited to changes in phenology and richness within communities but also includes the spatial mismatch caused by the inconsistency of geographical distribution changes. Subsequently, the pollinator interaction network may be remodeled or even disrupted. In this study, we simulated the suitable habitat niche of 15 Rhododendron species and their eight pollinator species as well as their overlapping versus geographical mismatch under the current and three future climate change scenarios in 2090s, using MaxEnt. Results showed that the suitable habitat of all Rhododendron species would decrease in 2090s. In particular, 10, 8, and 13 Rhododendron-pollinator assemblages would have a reduced spatial match region under the climate change scenarios, mainly due to the contraction of the suitable habitat of Rhododendron species. The results provide novel insights into the response of plant-pollinator interactions to global warming, useful to prioritize conservation actions of alpine plant ecosystems.

[Response of soil microbial necromass carbon to litter and root carbon inputs in a mid-subtropical Castanopsis carlesii plantation]. / ä¸­äºšçƒ­å¸¦ç±³æ§ äººå·¥æž—åœŸå£¤å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©æ®‹ä½“ç¢³å¯¹å‡‹è½ç‰©å’Œæ ¹ç³»ç¢³è¾“å ¥çš„å“åº”.

Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) is a crucial source for stable soil carbon pool, and understanding its response to carbon inputs from both aboveground (litter) and belowground (roots) in subtropical forest soils is essential for assessing soil carbon stocks in global ecosystems. In a Castanopsis carlesii plantation at the Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station in Fujian Province, we conducted an experiment with five treatments, including root removal (NR), aboveground litter removal (NL), no litter input (removals of both aboveground litter and roots, NI), double aboveground litter addition (DL), and control (CK). After seven years, we collected soil samples in the 0-10 cm soil layer to examine changes in MNC content and its contribution to soil organic carbon (SOC). Results showed that NR treatment reduced MNC, bacterial necromass carbon (BNC), and fungal necromass carbon (FNC) by 15.9%, 20.2%, and 14.5%, respectively, while other treatments did not induce significant changes. The NR, NL, NI, and DL treatments did not affect the contributions of BNC, FNC, and MNC to SOC. Correlation and path analyses revealed that litter and root carbon input treatments could alter the MNC content directly or indirectly through changing soil available substrates and microbial community structure. Our results suggested that roots exert a stronger influence on the maintenance of MNC than aboveground carbon source in the mid-subtropical plantations.

Elucidating the interaction mechanism of rice glutelin and soybean 11S globulin using multi-spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation methods.

Rice gluten, as the hydrophobic protein, exhibits restricted application value in hydrophilic food, which may be enhanced through interaction with soybean 11S globulin, characterized by favorable functional properties. This study aims at revealing their interaction mechanism via multi-spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation. The formation and structural change of rice glutelin-soybean 11S globulin complexes were detected using fluorescence, ultra-violet and circular dichroism spectra. The addition of 11S globulin increased the contents of α-helix, ß-turn and random coil, but decreased ß-sheet content, and the change in secondary structure was correlated with particle size. Moreover, exposure of hydrophobic groups and formation of disulfide bonds occurred in the complexes. Molecular dynamics simulation verified these experimental results through analyses of root mean square deviation and fluctuation, hydrogen bond, secondary structure, and binding free energy analysis. This study contributes to expounding the interaction mechanism of protein and protein from the molecular level.

Viologen-based ionic conjugated mesoporous polymer as the electron conveyer for efficient polysulfide trapping and conversion.

The commercialization of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries has been hindered by the shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Herein, we reported a viologen-based ionic conjugated mesoporous polymer (TpV-Cl), which acts as the cathode host for modifying Li-S batteries. The viologen component serves as a reversible electron conveyer, leading to a comprehensive enhancement in the adsorption of polysulfides and improved conversion rate of polysulfides during the electrochemical process. As a result, the S@TpV-PS cathode exhibits outstanding cycling performance, achieving 300 cycles at 2.0 C (1 C = 1675 mA g-1) with low decay rate of 0.032% per cycle. Even at a high sulfur loading of 4.0 mg cm-2, S@TpV-PS shows excellent cycling stability with a Coulombic efficiency of up to 98%. These results highlight the significant potential of S@TpV-PS in developing high-performance Li-S batteries.

Electroreductive Ring-Opening Carboxylation of 1,3-Oxazolidin-2-ones with CO2 for Accessing ß-Amino Acids.

Electrocarboxylation of the C(sp3)-O bond in 1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones with CO2 to achieve ß-amino acids is developed. The C-O bond in substrates can be selectively cleaved via the single electron transfer on the surface of a cathode or through a CO2• - intermediate under additive-free conditions. A great diversity of ß-amino acids can be obtained in a moderate to excellent yield and readily converted to various biologically active compounds.

Accelerated Adiabatic Passage of a Single Electron Spin Qubit in Quantum Dots.

Adiabatic processes can keep the quantum system in its instantaneous eigenstate, which is robust to noises and dissipation. However, it is limited by sufficiently slow evolution. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the transitionless quantum driving (TLQD) of the shortcuts to adiabaticity in gate-defined semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) to greatly accelerate the conventional adiabatic passage for the first time. For a given efficiency of quantum state transfer, the acceleration can be more than twofold. The dynamic properties also prove that the TLQD can guarantee fast and high-fidelity quantum state transfer. In order to compensate for the diabatic errors caused by dephasing noises, the modified TLQD is proposed and demonstrated in experiment by enlarging the width of the counterdiabatic drivings. The benchmarking shows that the state transfer fidelity of 97.8% can be achieved. This work will greatly promote researches and applications about quantum simulations and adiabatic quantum computation based on the gate-defined QDs.

[Blinatumomab as bridging therapy in two children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia complicated by invasive fungal disease]. / 2例急性Bæ·‹å·´ç»†èƒžç™½è¡€ç— åˆå¹¶ä¾µè¢­æ€§çœŸèŒç— å„¿ç«¥åº”ç”¨è´æž—å¦¥æ¬§å•æŠ—æ¡¥æŽ¥æ²»ç–—åˆ†æž.

This article reports two cases of children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) complicated by invasive fungal disease (IFD) who received bridging treatment using blinatumomab. Case 1 was a 4-month-old female infant who experienced recurrent high fever and limb weakness during chemotherapy. Blood culture was negative, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of peripheral blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid were all negative. Chest CT and cranial MRI revealed obvious infection foci. Case 2 was a 2-year-old male patient who experienced recurrent high fever with multiple inflammatory masses during chemotherapy. Candida tropicalis was detected in peripheral blood and abscess fluid using NGS, while blood culture and imaging examinations showed no obvious abnormalities. After antifungal and blinatumomab therapy, both cases showed significant improvement in symptoms, signs, and imaging, and B-ALL remained in continuous remission. The report indicates that bridging treatment with blinatumomab in children with B-ALL complicated by IFD can rebuild the immune system and control the underlying disease in the presence of immunosuppression and severe fungal infection.

Characterization of the structure, antioxidant activity and hypoglycemic activity of soy (Glycine max L.) protein hydrolysates.

This study aimed to hydrolyze soy isolate protein (SPI) using five enzymes (alcalase, pepsin, trypsin, papain, and bromelain) in order to obtain five enzymatic hydrolysates and to elucidate the effect of enzymes on structural and biological activities of the resulting hydrolysates. The antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of the soy protein isolate hydrolysates (SPIEHs) were evaluated through in silico analysis, revealing that the alcalase hydrolysate exhibited the highest potential, followed by the papain and bromelain hydrolysates. Subsequently, the degree of hydrolysis (DH), molecular weight distribution (MWD), amino acid composition, structure, antioxidant activities, and hypoglycemic activity in vitro of SPIEHs were analyzed. After enzymatic treatment, the particle size, polymer dispersity index (PDI), ζ-potentials, ß-sheet content and α-helix content of SPIEHs was decreased, and the maximum emission wavelength of all SPIEHs exhibited red-shifted, which all suggesting the structure of SPIEHs was unfolded. More total amino acids (TAAs), aromatic amino acids (AAAs), and hydrophobic amino acids (HAAs) were found in alcalase hydrolysate. For 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, metal ion chelating activity, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and α-amylase inhibitory activity, alcalase hydrolysate had the lowest IC50; alcalase hydrolysate and papain hydrolysate had the lowest IC50 for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Physiological activity of SPIEHs was evaluated thoroughly by 5-Axe cobweb charts, and the results revealed that alcalase hydrolysate exhibited the greatest biological activities.

Biomimetic triumvirate nanogel complexes via peptide-polysaccharide-polyphenol self-assembly.

Self-assembled peptide and polysaccharide nanogels are excellent candidates for bioactive delivery vectors. However, there are still significant challenges in the application of nanogels as delivery tools for bioactive elements. This study aims to deliver, and control the release of a hydrophobic bioactive flavonoid hesperidin. Using the self-assembling peptide (SAP) Fmoc-FRGDF, extracellular matrix mimicking nanofibrils were fabricated, which were decorated and bolstered with immunomodulatory polysaccharide strands of fucoidan and infused with hesperidin. The mechanical properties, secondary structure, and microscopic morphologies of the composite hydrogels were characterized using rheometer, FTIR, XRD, and TEM, etc. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and release behavior of hesperidin were determined. Coassembly of the SAP with fucoidan improved the mechanical properties (from 9.54 Pa of Fmoc-FRGDF hydrogel to 7735 Pa of coassembly hydrogel at 6 mg/mL fucoidan concentration), formed thicker nanofibril bundles at 4 and 6 mg/mL fucoidan concentration, improved the EE of hesperidin from 72.86 % of Fmoc-FRGDF hydrogel to over 90 % of coassembly hydrogels, and showed effectively controlled release of hesperidin in vitro. Intriguingly, the first order kinetic model predicted an enhanced hydrogel retention and release of hesperidin. This study revealed a new approach for bioengineered nanogels that could be used to stabilize and release hydrophobic payloads.

Determining the potent immunostimulation potential arising from the heteropolysaccharide structure of a novel fucoidan, derived from Sargassum Zhangii.

A preliminary study was conducted of the chemical, structural properties and immunomodulatory activities of fucoidan isolated from Sargassum Zhangii (SZ). Sargassum Zhangii fucoidan (SZF) was determined to have a sulfate content of 19.74 ± 0.01% (w/w) and an average molecular weight of 111.28 kDa. SZF possessed a backbone structure of (1,4)-α-d-linked-galactose, (3,4)-α-l-fucose, (1,3)-α-d-linked-xylose, ß-d-linked-mannose and a terminal (1,4)-α-d-linked-glucose. The main monosaccharide composition was determined as (w/w) 36.10% galactose, 20.13% fucose, 8.86% xylose, 7.36% glucose, 5.62% mannose, and 18.07% uronic acids, respectively. An immunostimulatory assay showed that SZF, compared to commercial fucoidans (Undaria pitnnaifida and Fucus vesiculosus sources), significantly elevated nitric oxide production via up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase at both gene and protein levels. These results suggest that SZ has the potential to be a source of fucoidan with enhanced properties that may act as a useful ingredient for functional foods, nutritional supplements, and immune enhancers.

Raf/MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway Is Involved in the Inhibition of Glioma Cell Proliferation and Invasion in the Ketogenic Microenvironment.

OBJECTIVE: A high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet has been used to treat malignant glioma, in which the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is overactivated. However, whether the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is involved in the therapeutic effect of ketone bodies remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of a major ketone body, 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3-HBA), on the proliferation and metastasis of malignant glioblastoma cells and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Two human malignant glioblastoma cell lines (U87 and U251) were treated with different concentrations of 3-HBA with or without the Raf inhibitor PAF C-16 for 24 h. Cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell invasion, and phospholipase D1 (PLD1) activity were determined. Protein and gene expression levels of Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway members were examined. RESULTS: 3-HBA significantly decreased cell proliferation, invasion, and intracellular PLD1 activity in both U87 and U251 glioblastoma cell lines. 3-HBA treatment significantly increased the proportion of cells in the G1 phase and decreased the proportion of cells in S phase in U87 cells. In the U251 line, the proportion of treated cells in S phase was increased and proportion of cells in G2 was decreased. 3-HBA treatment also significantly decreased the protein expression levels of Raf, MEK, p-MEK, ERK, p-ERK, and PLD1 while increasing p53 expression; an effect that was similar to treatment with the Raf inhibitor. Co-treatment of 3-HBA with the Raf inhibitor further enhanced the effects of the 3-HBA in both cell lines. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that a ketogenic microenvironment can inhibit glioma cell proliferation and invasion by downregulating the expression of PLD1 through the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.