Effects of Dietary Selenium Yeast Supplementation on Lactation Performance, Antioxidant Status, and Immune Responses in Lactating Donkeys.

Donkey milk is a traditional medicinal food with various biological activities. However, its production is very low, and lactating donkeys often experience oxidative stress, leading to a further decline in milk yield. In this study, we supplemented the diets of lactating donkeys with yeast selenium (SY) to investigate its effects on lactation performance, antioxidant status, and immune responses, and we expected to determine the optimum additive level of SY in the diet. For this study, 28 healthy lactating Dezhou donkeys with days in milk (DIM, 39.93 ± 7.02 d), estimated milk yield (EMY, 3.60 ± 0.84 kg/d), and parity (2.82 ± 0.48) were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups of 7 donkeys in each: Group SY-0 (control), Group SY-0.15, Group SY-0.3, and Group SY-0.5, with selenium supplementation of 0, 0.15, 0.3, and 0.5 mg of Se/kg DM (in form of SY) to the basal diet, respectively. The results showed a dose-dependent increase in milk yield, milk component yield, milk protein production efficiency, milk production efficiency, the activities of glutathione peroxidases (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), as well as the content of serum interleukin-10 (IL-10), white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes (LYM), red blood cells (RBC), hematocrit, plasma selenium, and milk selenium. Conversely, it presented a dose-dependent decrease in the activity of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). In conclusion, the results confirmed that dietary supplementation with SY can improve lactation performance, antioxidant status, and immune responses in lactating donkeys, and the recommended dose of SY was 0.3 mg/kg.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: a possible choice for patients with resistant thin endometrium during frozen embryo transfer treatments.

BACKGROUND: Thin endometrium is considered suboptimal for embryo implantation, leading to compromised pregnancy rates without effective therapies. While some studies have reported promoted endometrial growth after a period of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in patients with intrauterine adhesion, there have been no reports in patients with resistant thin endometrium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of HBOT on endometrium growth and pregnancy outcomes in patients with resistant thin endometrium during frozen embryo transfer (FET) treatments. METHODS: This prospective pre-post cohort study was conducted at a university-affiliated assisted reproductive medical center between October 2021 and December 2022. Patients who had experienced at least one canceled transfer cycle due to a thin endometrium(< 7 mm) on the endometrium transformation day, despite the use of standard therapies as well as adjuvant therapies, were enrolled in the study. Patients were assigned voluntarily to either the HBOT group or the concurrent control group. The HBOT group received daily HBOT for at least 10 days during the proliferative phase, in addition to the routine endometrium preparation methods and the concurrent control group underwent cycles without HBOT. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to ensure comparability between the groups. Both self-control and case-control comparisons were conducted. The primary outcome measured was endometrial thickness (ET) on the day of endometrium transformation. Secondary outcomes included intrauterine pregnancy rate (IPR), embryo implantation rate (IR), miscarriage rate, and others. RESULTS: Patients in the HBOT group demonstrated a significantly thicker endometrial thickness on the day of endometrium transformation after undergoing therapy (5.76 ± 1.66 vs. 6.57 ± 1.23, P = 0.002). This improvement was accompanied by a decreased rate of cycle cancellations. Baseline parameters and endometrial thickness were comparable between the HBOT group and the concurrent control group during the cycle. The IPR was similar in patients who received cleavage-stage embryos (0.0% vs. 6.7%, P = 1.00), but significantly higher in patients in the HBOT group who received blastocysts (53.8% vs. 18.2%, P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: A period of HBOT prior to endometrium transformation contributes to increased endometrial thickness and facilitates blastocyst implantation in patients with resistant thin endometrium during FET treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration no. ChiCTR2300072831, retrospectively registered).

Effects of sodium selenite on the growth, biochemical composition and selenium biotransformation of the filamentous microalga Tribonema minus.

This study aimed to investigate the physiological and biochemical responses of filamentous microalga Tribonema minus to different Na2SeO3 concentrations and its selenium absorption and metabolism to evaluate the potential in treating selenium-containing wastewater. The results showed that low Na2SeO3 concentrations promoted growth by increasing chlorophyll content and antioxidant capacity, whereas high concentrations caused oxidative damage. Although Na2SeO3 exposure reduced lipid accumulation compared with the control, it significantly increased carbohydrate, soluble sugar, and protein contents, with the highest carbohydrate productivity of 117.97 mg/L/d at 0.5 mg/L Na2SeO3. Furthermore, this alga effectively absorbed Na2SeO3 in the growth medium and converted most of it into volatile selenium and a small part into organic selenium (predominantly as selenocysteine), showing strong selenite removal efficacy. This is the first report on the potential of T. minus to produce valuable biomass while removing selenite, providing new insights into the economic feasibility of bioremediation of selenium-containing wastewater.

Effects of low-dose B vitamins plus betaine supplementation on lowering homocysteine concentrations among Chinese adults with hyperhomocysteinemia: a randomized, double-blind, controlled preliminary clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that daily supplementation with low-dose B vitamins plus betaine could significantly reduce plasma homocysteine concentrations in Chinese adults with hyperhomocysteinemia and free from background mandatory folic acid fortification. METHODS: One hundred apparently healthy adults aged 18-65 years with hyperhomocysteinemia were recruited in South China from July 2019 to June 2021. They were randomly assigned to either the supplement group (daily supplementation: 400 µg folic acid, 8 mg vitamin B6, 6.4 µg vitamin B12 and 1 g betaine) or the placebo group for 12 weeks. Fasting venous blood was collected at baseline, week 4 and week 12 to determine the concentrations of homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12 and betaine. Generalized estimation equations were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Statistically significant increments in blood concentrations of folate, vitamin B12 and betaine after the intervention in the supplement group indicated good participant compliance. At baseline, there were no significant differences in plasma homocysteine concentration between the two groups (P = 0.265). After 12-week supplementation, compared with the placebo group, there was a significant reduction in plasma homocysteine concentrations in the supplement group (mean group difference - 3.87; covariate-adjusted P = 0.012; reduction rate 10.1%; covariate-adjusted P < 0.001). In the supplement group, the decreased concentration of plasma homocysteine was associated with increments of blood concentrations of both folate (ß = -1.680, P = 0.004) and betaine (ß = -1.421, P = 0.020) after 12 weeks of supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Daily supplementation with low-dose B vitamins plus betaine for 12 weeks effectively decreased plasma homocysteine concentrations in Chinese adults with hyperhomocysteinemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03720249 on October 25, 2018. Website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03720249 .

Long-term Tai Chi training reduces the fusion illusion in older adults.

Sound-induced flash illusion (SiFI) is an auditory-dominated audiovisual integration phenomenon that can be used as a reliable indicator of audiovisual integration. Although previous studies have found that Tai Chi exercise has a promoting effect on cognitive processing, such as executive functions, the effect of Tai Chi exercise on early perceptual processing has yet to be investigated. This study used the classic SiFI paradigm to investigate the effects of long-term Tai Chi exercise on multisensory integration in older adults. We compared older adults with long-term Tai Chi exercise experience with those with long-term walking exercise. The results showed that the accuracy of the Tai Chi group was higher than that of the control group under the fusion illusion condition, mainly due to the increased perceptual sensitivity to flashes. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the fission illusion. These results indicated that the fission and fusion illusions were affected differently by Tai Chi exercise, and this was attributable to the association of the participants' flash discriminability with them. The present study provides preliminary evidence that long-term Tai Chi exercise improves older adults' multisensory integration, which occurs in early perceptual processing.

Greater habitual resveratrol intakes were associated with lower risk of hip fracture- a 1:1 matched case-control study in Chinese elderly.

The aim of the study was to testify the association of dietary resveratrol (RSV) intakes with hip fracture risk in Chinese elderly. This was a 1:1 age- and gender- matched case-control study. Eligible cases were newly diagnosed patients of hip fracture. Dietary assessment was made by a 79-item validated food frequency questionnaire. Habitual RSV intakes were estimated as the sum of trans- and cis- isomers of resveratrol and piceid according to the available database. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was applied to examine the relationship of dietary RSV and RSV-rich foods with hip fracture risk. A total of 1,070 pairs of hip fracture incident cases and controls were recruited and 1,065 were included for analysis. Compared with the lowest group, total RSV in the highest quartile group had significantly reduced hip fracture risk by 66.3% (OR: 0.337, 0.222 ~ 0.571, ptrend < 0.001). Similar findings were observed for cis- and trans-RSV, cis- and trans-Piceid, as well as RSV-rich foods (grapes, apples and nuts) respectively. Subgroup analysis suggested more evident findings among female and less obese participants. Our findings demonstrated that higher habitual RSV intakes and RSV-rich foods, even in a relatively low amount, were associated with reduced risk of hip fracture in Chinese elderly.

Production of Cardamine violifolia selenium-enriched peptide using immobilized Alcalase on Fe3O4 modified by tannic acid and polyethyleneimine.

Enzymatic synthesis of selenium (Se)-enriched peptides is vital for their application in supplementing organic Se. However, the poor stability and reusability of the free enzyme impedes the reaction. In this work, a highly stable immobilized Alcalase was synthesized by immobilizing Alcalase on tannic acid (TA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The optimal immobilization conditions for immobilized Alcalase were found at a TA/PEI (v/v) ratio of 1 : 1, pH of 10, and temperature of 40 °C, and the results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization confirmed the successful immobilization of Alcalase. The results of an enzyme property test showed that immobilized Alcalase had higher thermal and pH stability than free Alcalase, and retained 61.0% of the initial enzyme activity after 10 repetitions. Furthermore, the organic Se content of Se-enriched peptide prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis of Cardamine violifolia (CV) protein with immobilized Alcalase was 2914 mg kg-1, and the molecular weight was mainly concentrated in 924.4 Da with complete amino acid components. Therefore, this study proposes the feasibility of immobilized enzymes for the production of Se-enriched peptides.

Formation of protein-anthocyanin complex induced by grape skin extracts interacting with wheat gliadins: Multi-spectroscopy and molecular docking analysis.

In order to broaden the application of grape skin anthocyanin extract (GSAE) in flour products, the interaction of gliadin (Gli) and GSAE were investigated. Seven anthocyanin components from GSAE were identified by HPLC-MS2, which could form complexes with Gli having different binding rates based on UV, FTIR and HPLC analysis. The fluorescence quenching experiment showed that GSAE was capable of efficiently quenching the intrinsic fluorescence of Gli through hydrophobic interactions, and the binding parameters were near to one unit at the given temperatures. Additionally, GSAE binding changed the conformational properties of Gli, increasing α-helix and ß-turn content, but decreasing ß-sheet and irregular coil content. The molecular docking suggested that Gli possessed various binding sites bound with different anthocyanin monomers, mainly depending on hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. These findings further proved the formation of Gli-GSAE complex, indicating the potential of anthocyanins as natural colorant.

Structure and stability analysis of antibacterial substance produced by selenium enriched Bacillus cereus BC1.

Microorganisms can produce many antibiotics against bacteria and fungi, which have been used as a potential choice of new antibiotics. In this paper, we studied the characteristics of antibacterial substances by Bacillus cereus BC1. The results showed that the acid-precipitated substance played the main role in antibacterial activity, and further characterization indicated that the antibacterial substance might be a lipopeptide substance. Then the antibacterial spectrum suggested that the antibacterial substance had an inhibitory effect on Gram-positive bacteria and fungi, while selenium-riched antibacterial substance of Bacillus cereus BC1 could significantly enhance the inhibition. Then the morphological effects of the antibacterial substance to indicator bacteria were determined. The effects of different treatment methods on the stability of antibacterial substances were studied and the results showed that the antibacterial substance was stable to heat, ultrasonic, and ultraviolet treatment, and their antibacterial activity would not be greatly affected. However, they were sensitive to pepsin. The optimum pH range of antibacterial activity was 3-5. This study may contribute to reusing the fermentation supernatant often discarded in the previous fermentation process. At the same time, the lipopeptide antibacterial substance extracted from the fermentation broth of selenium-enriched Bacillus cereus BC1 can be used in the development of antibiotics and biopesticides, and open up a new way for the control of plant diseases.

The 6-month effect of whole soy and purified isoflavones daidzein on thyroid function-A double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial among Chinese equol-producing postmenopausal women.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of whole soy and purified daidzein on markers of thyroid function in Chinese postmenopausal women who were equol-producers. Total 270 eligible women were randomized to either one of the three isocaloric supplements: 40 g soy flour (whole soy group), 40 g low-fat milk powder +63 mg daidzein (daidzein group) or 40 g low-fat milk powder (placebo) daily for 6 months. Serum thyroid markers were tested at baseline and 6 months for thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, reverse triiodothyronine and free thyroxine (FT4). There was no significant difference in the 6-month changes of thyroid markers among the three groups. Subgroup analysis among women with lowered thyroid function suggested a modest decrease of FT4. This randomized controlled trial among Chinese equol-producing postmenopausal women indicates the consumption of whole soy and purified daidzein at the provided dosages are safe and have no detrimental effect on thyroid function.

Diabetes diminishes a typical metabolite of litchi pericarp oligomeric procyanidins (LPOPC) in urine mediated by imbalanced gut microbiota.

Animal studies and clinical trials have shown that dietary polyphenols and polyphenol-rich foods can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications, but how diabetes regulates the metabolism of polyphenol has not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the effects of diabetes on litchi pericarp oligomeric procyanidin (LPOPC) dynamic metabolism and its major static metabolites in urine. First, a high-fat and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague Dawley (SD) rat model was established. In the diabetic rat model, elevated fasting blood glucose, severely impaired glucose tolerance test, and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in serum and the liver were observed. Subsequently, 200 mg per kg body weight of LPOPC was administrated to control and diabetic SD rats, and the gastrointestinal tract was collected at 0.5 h, 1 h, 3 h, and 6 h. The results showed that the retention time of LPOPC was not changed in our diabetic rat model. However, the gut microbiota were significantly altered, with elevated Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia abundance in diabetic rats and decreased short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Interestingly, after one dose of 300 mg per kg body weight LPOPC, the total antioxidant capacity of urine in diabetic rats significantly decreased. We then tested the static metabolites of LPOPC, demonstrating that epicatechin had not changed in urine in diabetic rats, but that shikimic acid was significantly reduced in urine in diabetic rats. The changes in shikimic acid may be due to the alteration of gut microbiota and elevated ROS levels in serum.

Perilla Leaf Extract Attenuates Asthma Airway Inflammation by Blocking the Syk Pathway.

Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton is a classic herbal plant used widely against asthma in China. But its mechanism of beneficial effect remains undermined. In the study, the antiallergic asthma effects of Perilla leaf extract (PLE) were investigated, and the underlying mechanism was also explored. Results showed that PLE treatment significantly attenuated airway inflammation in OVA-induced asthma mice, by ameliorating lung pathological changes, inhibiting recruitment of inflammatory cells in lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), decreasing the production of inflammatory cytokines in the BALF, and reducing the level of immunoglobulin in serum. PLE treatment suppressed inflammatory response in antigen-induced rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 (RBL-2H3) cells as well as in OVA-induced human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Furthermore, PLE markedly inhibited the expression and phosphorylation of Syk, NF-κB, PKC, and cPLA2 both in vivo and in vitro. By cotreating with inhibitors (BAY61-3606, Rottlerin, BAY11-7082, and arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone) in vitro, results revealed that PLE's antiallergic inflammatory effects were associated with the inhibition of Syk and its downstream signals NF-κB, PKC, and cPLA2. Collectively, the present results suggested that PLE could attenuate allergic inflammation, and its mechanism might be partly mediated through inhibiting the Syk pathway.

Complexation of maltodextrin-based inulin and green tea polyphenols via different ultrasonic pretreatment.

Ultrasound has been applied in food processing for various purpose, showing potential to advance the physical and chemical modification of natural compounds. In order to explore the effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on the complexation of inulin and tea polyphenols (TPP), different frequencies (25, 40, 80 kHz) and output power (40, 80, 120 W) were carried out. According to the comparison in particle size distribution and phenolic content of different inulin-TPP complexes, it was indicated that high-intensity ultrasonic (HIU) treatment (25 kHz, 40 W, 10 min) could accelerate the interaction of polysaccharides and polyphenols. Moreover, a series of spectral analysis including UV-Vis, FT-IR and NMR jointly evidenced the formation of hydrogen bond between saccharides and phenols. However, the primary structure of inulin and the polysaccharide skeleton were not altered by the combination. Referring to field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), the morphology of ultrasound treated-complex presented a slight agglomeration in the form of bent sheets, compared to non-treated sample. The inulin-TPP complex also revealed better stability based on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Thus, it can be speculated from the identifications that proper ultrasonic treatment is promising to promote the complexation of some food components during processing.

Research on Transboundary Regulation of Plant-Derived Exogenous MiRNA Based on Biological Big Data.

In recent years, researchers have discovered plant miRNA (plant xenomiR) in mammalian samples, but it is unclear whether it exists stably and participates in regulation. In this paper, a cross-border regulation model of plant miRNAs based on biological big data is constructed to study the possible cross-border regulation of plant miRNAs. Firstly, a variety of human edible plants were selected, and based on the miRNA data detected in human experimental studies, screening was performed to obtain the plant xenomiR that may stably exist in the human body. Then, we use plant and animal target gene prediction methods to obtain the mRNAs of animals and plants that may be regulated, respectively. Finally, we use GO (Gene Ontology) and the Multiple Dimensional Scaling (MDS) algorithm to analyze the biological processes regulated by plants and animals. We obtain the relationship between different biological processes and explore the regulatory commonality and individuality of plant xenomiR in plants and humans. Studies have shown that the development and metabolic functions of the human body are affected by daily eating habits. Soybeans, corn, and rice can not only affect the daily development and metabolism of the human body but also regulate biological processes such as protein modification and mitosis. This conclusion explains the reasons for the different physiological functions of the human body. This research is an important meaning for the design of small RNA drugs in Chinese herbal medicine and the treatment of human nutritional diseases.

Multiple Components Rapidly Screened from Perilla Leaves Attenuate Asthma Airway Inflammation by Synergistic Targeting on Syk.

BACKGROUND: Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt., a classic medicinal plant, has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects in asthma. Perilla leaves extract (PLE) exerted significant therapeutic effect against allergic asthma inflammation through Syk inhibition. But the active chemical ingredients from PLE are complex and unclear, it is difficult to fully elucidate its pharmacological mechanisms. METHODS: A method was established for rapid screening and characterization of active ingredients from PLE that targeted Syk, with which three potential active ingredients were identified. By using OVA-induced allergic asthma mouse model in vivo, OVA-induced human PBMCs inflammation model and DNP-IgE/BSA-induced RBL-2H3 cells model in vitro, the effects and mechanisms of PLE and its active components were evaluated. RESULTS: Using Syk-affinity screening method, roseoside (RosS), vicenin-2 (Vic-2) and rosmarinic acid (RosA) were identified from PLE. In vitro, PLE and its ingredients showed significant inhibitory activities against Syk, with their mixture (Mix, prepared by RosS, Vic-2 and RosA in accordance with their ratio in Syk-conjugated beads bound fraction) showing a stronger inhibitory activity. RosS, Vic-2 and RosA also showed significant effects on allergic asthma, and a synergistic effect of Mix was observed. Moreover, treatment with PLE, RosS, Vic-2, RosA, and Mix significantly inhibited the expression and phosphorylation of Syk, PKC, NF-κB p65, and cPLA2 in allergic mice lung tissue and in RBL-2H3 cells. CONCLUSION: PLE may alleviate allergic airway inflammation partly through the multiple components synergistic targeting on Syk and its downstream inflammatory pathway.

Optimization of Bacillus cereus Fermentation Process for Selenium Enrichment as Organic Selenium Source.

Selenium is an essential trace element and micronutrient for human health. Application of organic selenium in plants and microorganisms as trace element supplement is attracting more and more attention. In this study, Bacillus cereus, an important probiotic, was used for selenium enrichment with sodium selenite as selenium source. The growth curve of B. cereus was investigated, and 150 µg/ml was selected as the concentration of selenium for B. cereus fermentation. With application of response surface methodology, the optimal fermentation conditions were obtained as follows: inoculation quantity of 7%, culture temperature of 33°C, and shaking speed of 170 rpm, leading to the maximal selenium conversion ratio of 94.3 ± 0.2%. Field emission scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometry evidenced that inorganic selenium had been successfully transformed. This study may contribute to get a strain with high Se conversion ratio, so as to extract organic selenium in the form of selenoprotein to be used for further application.

Protein-Bound Anthocyanin Compounds of Purple Sweet Potato Ameliorate Hyperglycemia by Regulating Hepatic Glucose Metabolism in High-Fat Diet/Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice.

Purple sweet potato is known as a rich source of protein and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins can form complexes with protein present in food products through non-covalent forces or covalent bonds during processing, transportation, and storage as their protein affinity. We evaluated the hypoglycemic effects of protein-bound anthocyanin compounds of purple sweet potato (p-BAC-PSP) and free anthocyanin compounds of purple sweet potato (FAC-PSP) in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The results showed that administration of both p-BAC-PSP and FAC-PSP improved diabetic condition, as evidenced by the improvement of glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism, and the decrease of oxidative stress and liver damage. For the mechanism study, we have found that p-BAC-PSP and FAC-PSP induced the expression of AMP-activated protein kinase in liver. With p-BAC-PSP or FAC-PSP treatment, glucose transporter type 2, the protein levels of glucokinase, and insulin receptor α were found to be improved significantly (p < 0.05). Glycolysis key genes, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase, were upregulated in two treatment groups, while gluconeogenic genes, glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, were downregulated. Our findings suggested that p-BAC-PSP has great potential as a dietary supplement with hypoglycemic activity for general, pre-diabetic, and diabetic population.

Effect of whole soy and purified daidzein on androgenic hormones in chinese equol-producing post-menopausal women: a six-month randomised, double-blinded and Placebo-Controlled trial.

A randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial was performed to examine the effects of whole soy and isoflavone daidzein on serum androgenic hormones in Chinese equol-producing post-menopausal women. A total of 270 eligible women aged 45-70 years were randomised to either one of the three iso-caloric supplements: 40 g soy flour (whole soy group), 40 g low-fat milk powder +63 mg daidzein (daidzein group) or 40 g low-fat milk powder (placebo group) daily for 6 months. Fasting venous samples were tested for serum androstenedione (AD), testosterone (T), prolactin, sex hormone binding globulin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. Intention-to-treat analysis indicated that serum T (p = .022) and AD (p = .05) levels modestly but significantly decreased after 6-month daidzein treatment in comparison with placebo, with a mean difference of -0.057 nmol/L (95%CI: -0.185 to 0.070, p = .018) and -0.118 ng/mL (95%CI: -0.240-0.004, p = .045), respectively. This 6-month trial suggested that purified daidzein may exhibit less androgenic effect.Trial registration: The trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with identifier of NCT01270737. (URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01270737.).

Optimization of Spray-Drying Process of Jerusalem artichoke Extract for Inulin Production.

Jerusalem artichoke is an important natural matrix for inulin production. In this experiment, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the spray-drying parameters in order to determine the maximal inulin yield. For this study, three independent variables (heating temperature (Tª, 110-120 °C), creep speed (V, 18-22 rpm) and pressure (P, 0.02-0.04 MPa)) were used in the experimental design. Using the Box-Behnken design, the optimal parameters obtained were: drying temperature 114.6 °C, creep speed 20.02 rpm, and pressure: 0.03 MPa. The inulin yield, water content and particle size of inulin obtained by spray-drying and freeze-drying were compared. In this regard, the spray-dried inulin consisted of a white powder having a fine particle size, and the freeze-dried inulin had a pale-yellow fluffy floc. On the other hand, the drying methods had a great influence on the appearance and internal structure of inulin powder, since the spray-dried inulin had a complete and uniform shape and size, whereas the freeze-dried inulin had a flocculated sheet structure. The analysis showed that the spray-drying led to a higher inulin yield, lower water content and better surface structure than freeze-drying.

Oligomer Procyanidins from Lotus Seedpod Regulate Lipid Homeostasis Partially by Modifying Fat Emulsification and Digestion.

Dietary polyphenols have shown hypolipidemic effects by reducing triglyceride absorption. The mechanisms may involve modifying fat emulsion during digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and suppressing lipase during hydrolysis in the small intestine. In an in vivo study, lotus seedpod oligomeric procyanidin (LSOPC) decreased total serum triglyceride and total cholesterol and elevated the high-density lipoprotein level in the hyperlipidemic rat model. In addition, LSOPC suppressed de novo lipogenesis-related gene expressions. In an in vitro study, the LSOPC-enriched emulsion decreased the mean droplet size from 0.36 to 0.33 µm and increased the viscosity of the emulsion. Moreover, the LSOPC-enriched emulsion improved the antioxidant properties. A digestion model was developed and showed that the particle size of the LSOPC-enriched emulsion increased in the oral cavity. However, an increase and then a significant drop of the particle size was measured in the stomach and small intestine. The free fatty acid release rate was decreased in the LSOPC-enriched emulsion partly ascribed to the inhibition of lipase by LSOPC.