Mulberry and Hippophae-based solid beverage promotes weight loss in rats by antagonizing white adipose tissue PPARγ and FGFR1 signaling.

Obesity, a multifactorial disease with many complications, has become a global epidemic. Weight management, including dietary supplementation, has been confirmed to provide relevant health benefits. However, experimental evidence and mechanistic elucidation of dietary supplements in this regard are limited. Here, the weight loss efficacy of MHP, a commercial solid beverage consisting of mulberry leaf aqueous extract and Hippophae protein peptides, was evaluated in a high-fat high-fructose (HFF) diet-induced rat model of obesity. Body component analysis and histopathologic examination confirmed that MHP was effective to facilitate weight loss and adiposity decrease. Pathway enrichment analysis with differential metabolites generated by serum metabolomic profiling suggests that PPAR signal pathway was significantly altered when the rats were challenged by HFF diet but it was rectified after MHP intervention. RNA-Seq based transcriptome data also indicates that MHP intervention rectified the alterations of white adipose tissue mRNA expressions in HFF-induced obese rats. Integrated omics reveals that the efficacy of MHP against obesogenic adipogenesis was potentially associated with its regulation of PPARγ and FGFR1 signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings suggest that MHP could improve obesity, providing an insight into the use of MHP in body weight management.

Electroacupuncture protects the intestinal mucosal barrier in diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome rats by regulating the MCs/Tryptase/PAR-2/MLCK pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is related to damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier function. Based on the Mast cell (MC)/Tryptase/Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2)/Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) pathway, this study explored the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on IBS-D rats and its possible mechanism of protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier. METHODS: The IBS-D rat model was established by mother-offspring separation, acetic acid enema, and chronic restraint stress. The efficacy of EA on IBS-D rats was evaluated by observing the rate of loose stool (LSP) and the minimum volume threshold of abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) in rats. Mast cells and the ultrastructure of intestinal mucosa were observed by H&E staining, toluidine blue staining, and transmission electron microscopy. The expression levels of Tryptase, PAR-2, MLCK, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and Occludin in rats were detected by ELISA, qRT-PCR, and western blot. RESULTS: After 7 days of intervention, compared to the IBS-D group, the loose stool rates of rats in IBS-D + EA group and IBS-D + ketotifen group were decreased (P < 0.01), the minimum volume thresholds of AWR were improved (P < 0.01), the inflammation of colon tissue decreased, the number of MCs were decreased (P < 0.01), the expression of Tryptase, PAR-2, and MLCK were lowered (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin were enhanced (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared to the EA group, there was no significant difference in each index between the ketotifen groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA has a good therapeutic effect on IBS-D rats. Regulating the MCs/Tryptase/PAR-2/MLCK pathway may be a mechanism to protect the intestinal mucosal barrier.

Optimum Doses and Forms of Selenium Maintaining Reproductive Health via Regulating Homeostasis of Gut Microbiota and Testicular Redox, Inflammation, Cell Proliferation, and Apoptosis in Roosters.

BACKGROUND: There is a U-shaped relationship between dietary selenium (Se) ingestion and optimal sperm quality. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the optimal dietary dose and forms of Se for sperm quality of breeder roosters and the relevant mechanisms. METHODS: In experiment 1, 18-wk-old Jingbai laying breeder roosters were fed a Se-deficient base diet (BD, 0.06 mg Se/kg), or the BD + 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or 1.0 mg Se/kg for 9 wk. In experiment 2, the roosters were fed the BD or the BD + sodium selenite (SeNa), seleno-yeast (SeY), or Se-nanoparticles (SeNPs) at 0.2 mg Se/kg for 9 wk. RESULTS: In experiment 1, added dietary 0.2 and 0.3 mg Se/kg led to higher sperm motility and lower sperm mortality than the other groups at weeks 5, 7, and/or 9. Furthermore, added dietary 0.2-0.4 mg Se/kg produced better testicular histology and/or lower testicular 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine than the other groups. Moreover, integrated testicular transcriptomic and cecal microbiomic analysis revealed that inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis-related genes and bacteria were dysregulated by Se deficiency or excess. In experiment 2, compared with SeNa, SeNPs slightly increased sperm motility throughout the experiment, whereas SeNPs slightly reduced sperm mortality compared with SeY at week 9. Both SeY and SeNPs decreased malondialdehyde in the serum than those of SeNa, and SeNPs led to higher glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and thioredoxin reductase activities and GPX1 and B-cell lymphoma 2 protein concentrations in the testis compared with SeY and SeNa. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal dietary Se dose for reproductive health of breeder roosters is 0.25-0.35 mg Se/kg, and SeNPs displayed better effects on reproductive health than SeNa and SeY in laying breeder roosters. The optimal doses and forms of Se maintain reproductive health of roosters associated with regulation intestinal microbiota homeostasis and/or testicular redox balance, inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis.

Effects of online-offline integrated death education on patients with advanced cancer: A before-and-after study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the constructed OOIDE intervention in patients with advanced cancer. METHOD: In this study, patients were invited to participate in a 4-week OOIDE intervention. The assessment of patients' ability to cope with death was conducted using a scale in conjunction with interviews. Additionally, patients' 'readiness to die' was assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with advanced cancer participated in this study. Our intervention significantly enhanced their perspective on life and spirituality, while also reducing their fear of death (P < 0.01). Furthermore, it facilitated their acceptance of death, encouraged a more rational approach to their illness, and fostered an understanding of hospice care, thereby reinforcing their sense of self-worth. Additionally, the intervention improved the relationship between the patient and their families, fostering greater mutual understanding and respect for the patient's perspectives. Comparing the results to the pre-intervention period, there was a significant increase in the number of patients who discussed death with their families and contemplated the place of their passing (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: OOIDE improves participants' ability to confront death, while also assisting patients' families in the physical and psychological preparations for the loss of their relative.

Ecliptasaponin A attenuates renal fibrosis by regulating the extracellular matrix of renal tubular cells.

Renal fibrosis is the most common manifestation of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), including diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but there is no effective treatment in renal fibrosis. Natural products are a rich source of clinical drug research and have been used in the clinical research of various diseases. In this study, we searched for traditional Chinese medicine monomers that attenuate fibrosis and assessed their effect on the fibrosis marker connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in cells which we found ecliptasaponin A. Subsequently, we evaluated the effect of ecliptasaponin A on renal fibrosis in the classic renal fibrosis unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model and found that ecliptasaponin A could reduce the renal collagen fiber deposition and renal extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression in UUO mice. In vitro, ecliptasaponin A can inhibit ECM protein expression in human kidney-2 (HK-2) cells induced by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFß1). To further clarify the mechanism of ecliptasaponin A in attenuating renal fibrosis, we performed transcriptome sequencing of HK-2 cells treated with TGFß1 and ecliptasaponin A. The functions and pathways were mainly enriched in the extracellular matrix and TGFß signalling pathway. Matrix metalloproteinase 10 (MMP10) and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) are the main differentially expressed genes in extracellular matrix regulation. Then, we measured MMP10 and MMP13 in the cells and found that ecliptasaponin A had a significant inhibitory effect on MMP13 expression but not on MMP10 expression. Furthermore, we overexpressed MMP13 in HK-2 cells treated with TGFß1 and found that MMP13 promoted HK-2 cell injury. Our findings suggest that ecliptasaponin A can attenuate renal fibrosis, which may provide a new method for treating renal fibrosis clinically.

Cd isotope fractionation in a soil-rice system: Roles of pH and mineral transformation during Cd immobilization and migration processes.

Cd speciation in soil and its transport to rice roots are influenced by the soil pH, oxidation-reduction potential, and mineral transformation; however, the immobilization and migration of Cd in soil-rice systems with different pH values under distinct water regimes remain unclear. This study used Cd isotope fractionation, soil physical analysis, and root gene quantification to elucidate the immobilization and transport of Cd in different soil-rice systems. In drainage soils, the high soil pH enhanced the transformation and magnitude of negative fractionation of Cd from MgCl2 extract to FeMn oxide-bound pool; however, it favored Cd uptake and root-to-grain transport. Compared with drainage regimes, the flooding regimes shifted fractionation toward heavy isotopes from MgCl2-extracted Cd to FeMn oxide-bound Cd in acidic soils (∆114/110CdMgCl2 extract - FeMn oxide-bound Cd = -0.09 ± 0.03 ‰) and to light isotopes from MgCl2-extracted Cd to carbonate-bound Cd in neutral and alkaline soils (∆114/110CdMgCl2 extract - carbonate-bound Cd = 0.29-0.40 ‰). The submerged soils facilitated the forming of carbonate and poorly crystalline minerals (such as ferrihydrite), which were transformed into highly crystalline forms (such as goethite). These results demonstrated that the dissolution-precipitation process of iron oxides was essential for controlling soil Cd availability under flooding regimes, and the relative contribution of carbonate minerals to Cd immobilization was promoted by a high soil pH. Flooding regimes induced lower expressions of OsNRAMP1 and OsNRAMP5 to limit the uptake of light Cd isotopes from MgCl2-extract pool, whereas a teeter-totter effect on gene expression patterns in roots (including those of OsHMA3 and OsHMA2) limited the transport of heavy Cd isotopes from root to grain. These findings demonstrate that flooding regimes could exert multiple effects on soil Cd immobilization and Cd transport to grain. Moreover, alkaline soil was conducive to forming carbonate minerals to sequester Cd.

Transformation kinetics of exogenous lead in an acidic soil during anoxic-oxic alteration: Important roles of phosphorus and organic matter.

Lead (Pb) can enter soil environment during flooding events such as surface runoff and intensive rainfall. However, the key transformation processes of exogenous Pb during anoxic-oxic alteration remain poorly understood particularly how phosphorus and organic matter contribute to Pb immobilization/release. Here, a kinetic model was established to investigate the Pb transformation in an acidic soil with two levels of Pb contamination under alternating anoxic-oxic conditions, based on the results of seven-step sequential extraction, dissolved organic carbon, sulfate, iron, phosphorus, and surface sites. Results showed that the potentially available Pb, including dissolved, exchangeable, and specifically adsorbed fractions, was gradually transferred to the fulvic complex, Fe-Mn oxides bound, and sulfides bound Pb after 40-day incubation under anoxic conditions, while the fulvic complex Pb further increased after 20-day incubation under oxic conditions. The concentration of phosphorus that was extracted by 0.5 M HCl or 0.03 M NH4F in 0.025 M HCl increased under anoxic conditions and decreased under oxic conditions. When Pb-binding to phosphorus is considered during kinetic modeling, the simulated results of Pb transformation suggest that phosphorus is more important than organic matter for Pb immobilization under anoxic conditions, while the phosphates, Fe-Mn oxides, and sulfides immobilized Pb is slowly released and then complexed by fulvic acids during the re-immobilization of dissolved organic matter in soil under oxic conditions. The model established with low Pb level has been successfully applied to describe the Pb transformation with high Pb level. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the roles of phosphorus and organic matter in controlling Pb transformation in soil from kinetic modeling.

Acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine for knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the aging of society, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is increasing year by year, which seriously affects the quality of life. Acupuncture therapy has been widely used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, but there is no complete systematic review on acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of KOA through systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A structured and systematic literature search will be conducted in the following databases up to March, 20, 2022: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific and Journal Database, Wan Fang database and 2 clinical trials register platforms: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov (www.ClinicalTrials.gov/). We will use the Review Manager 5.4 software provided by the Cochrane Collaborative Network for statistical analysis. We then assessed the quality and risk of the included studies and observed the outcome measures. RESULTS: This meta-analysis further established the efficacy of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of KOA. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis aims to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine on patients with KOA and provide reliable evidence. To provide more options for clinicians and patients in the treatment of KOA.

Unexpected favorable outcome to sintilimab monotherapy in a relapse pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patient with high tumor mutational burden: a case report.

The reason that immune checkpoint inhibitors have not been widely applied to pancreatic cancer treatment is probably because of low immunogenicity or dense stromal fibrosis. Recently, only pembrolizumab was recommended for DNA mismatch repair deficiency or high microsatellite instability by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for more than 90% of pancreatic cancer, with a poor overall survival rate, the value of immunotherapy for PDAC needs more research. Here, we report a 56-year-old man suffered from PDAC with liver metastasis after radical surgery. The next-generation sequencing result demonstrated that it had remarkably high tumor mutational burden (TMB) of 49.92 Muts/Mb and microsatellite stability. Sintilimab (anti-PD-1) monotherapy was continuously administrated after failure of combined chemotherapy in second line, achieving stable disease within 22 months and few immunotherapy-related adverse events. To our knowledge, this is the first time to report a good outcome achieving 22 months with progression-free survival after PDAC metastasis with monotherapy of sintilimab. TMB may serve as a potential efficacy-related predictor in PDAC patients with sintilimab and help physicians make optimum clinical strategy.

Correlation of CT Perfusion Parameters and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (BFGF) in Patients with Primary Liver Cancer.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of CT perfusion-related parameters with serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) in patients with primary liver cancer. Methods: A total of 100 patients with primary liver cancer who were treated in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected as the observation group, and 90 patients with benign liver lesions during the same period were selected as the control group. The CT perfusion-related parameters (perfusion volume and perfusion index) and serum VEGF and BFGF levels were compared between the two groups. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between CT perfusion-related parameters and serum VEGF and BFGF levels. Results: Compared to the control group, significantly higher HAP and lower HPP and TLP were observed in the observation group. The perfusion volume indexes of patients with different stages of liver cancer in the observation group were statistically different (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the observation group witnessed significantly higher HAPI and lower HPPI. There were statistically significant differences in the perfusion index of patients with different stages of primary liver cancer in the observation group (P < 0.05). The serum VEGF and BFGF levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the serum VEGF and BFGF levels in patients with different stages of primary liver cancer in the observation group were statistically different (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that HAP and HAPI were positively correlated with VEGF and BFGF (r = 0.986, P ≤ 0.001; r = 0.983, P ≤ 0.001), and HPP, TLP, and HPPI were negatively correlated with VEGF and BFGF (r = -0.992, P ≤ 0.001; r = -0.993, P ≤ 0.001; r = -0.995, P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: CT perfusion-related parameters and serum VEGF and BFGF levels in patients with primary liver cancer are abnormally expressed, and there is a strong correlation between the two, which might aid clinical diagnosis and treatment.

On the Effect of Electroacupuncture in Promoting Healing after High Tibial Osteotomy.

Purpose: To explore the clinical effect of electroacupuncture in promoting the healing of the osteotomy area after high tibial osteotomy. Methods: 50 patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) were selected and randomly divided into the observation group and control group. The control group got the common postoperative treatment, and the observation group was added electroacupuncture from the 3rd day after the operation on the basis of the control group. The electroacupuncture acupoints were selected SP10, ST34, ST32, EX-LE2, ST40,KI6, KI3, SP6, and ST41, once a day, and 14 days were a course of treatment. And then we contrasted the index of the Lane-Sandhu X-ray score, the skin incision healing time, the swelling subsided time, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Score (WOMAC), and Lysholm in different time. Results: The Lane-Sandhu X-ray score of the observation group was better than that of the control group at all time points (P < 0.05), and the time to achieve bone healing was about 2 weeks earlier than that of the control group. The skin healing and swelling were the subsided time in the osteotomy area. Both were better than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The VAS score, WOMAC score, and Lysholm score of the two groups were significantly improved compared with preoperatively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The improvement of the observation group's VAS score, WOMAC score, and Lysholm score at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after the end of the treatment course was better than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Electroacupuncture can quicken the healing of bone tissue and surrounding soft tissues in the osteotomy area after high tibial osteotomy, and at the same time, it can help the relief of knee joint pain and improve knee joint function.

NMN recruits GSH to enhance GPX4-mediated ferroptosis defense in UV irradiation induced skin injury.

Oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are major causes of skin injury induced by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Ferroptosis is a form of regulated necrosis driven by iron-dependent peroxidation of phospholipids and contributes to kinds of tissue injuries. However, it remains unclear whether the accumulation of lipid peroxides in UV irradiation-induced skin injury could lead to ferroptosis. We generated UV irradiation-induced skin injury mice model to examine the accumulation of the lipid peroxides and iron. Lipid peroxides 4-HNE, the oxidative enzyme COX2, the oxidative DNA damage biomarker 8-OHdG, and the iron level were increased in UV irradiation-induced skin. The accumulation of iron and lipid peroxidation was also observed in UVB-irradiated epidermal keratinocytes without actual ongoing ferroptotic cell death. Ferroptosis was triggered in UV-irradiated keratinocytes stimulated with ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) to mimic the iron overload. Although GPX4 protected UVB-injured keratinocytes against ferroptotic cell death resulted from dysregulation of iron metabolism and the subsequent increase of lipid ROS, keratinocytes enduring constant UVB treatment were markedly sensitized to ferroptosis. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) which is a direct and potent NAD+ precursor supplement, rescued the imbalanced NAD+/NADH ratio, recruited the production of GSH and promoted resistance to lipid peroxidation in a GPX4-dependent manner. Taken together, our data suggest that NMN recruits GSH to enhance GPX4-mediated ferroptosis defense in UV irradiation-induced skin injury and inhibits oxidative skin damage. NMN or ferroptosis inhibitor might become promising therapeutic approaches for treating oxidative stress-induced skin diseases or disorders.

Enhancement of biotransformation of ginsenosides in white ginseng roots by aerobic co-cultivation of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma reesei.

In the present work, the biotransformation of ginsenosides in white ginseng roots was innovatively investigated using the aerobic fermentation by the co-cultivation of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma reesei. It is found that in the co-cultivation mode, the optimal nitrogen source was corn steep liquor, and the loading of ginseng powder and inoculation proportion of B. subtilis and T. reesei were 15 g/L and 1:4, respectively. The total ginsenoside yield and production of minor ginsenosides in the co-cultivation mode obviously enhanced in comparison to the monoculture mode. Meanwhile, the maximal total ginsenoside yield of 21.79% and high hydrolase activities were achieved using the staged inoculation at the inoculation proportion of 1:4 in the co-cultivation mode, the production of minor ginsenosides such as Rg3 and Rh1, Rh2 was significantly strengthened, and the pharmacological activities of the fermented solution obviously improved. The enhancement of ginsenoside transformation can be mainly attributed to hydrolysis of the produced hydrolases and metabolism of two probiotics. This result clearly reveals that using the staged inoculation in co-cultivation fermentation mode was favor of the ginsenoside biotransformation in ginseng due to non-synchronous cell growth and different metabolic pathways of both probiotics. This work can provide a novel method for enhancing ginsenoside transformation of ginseng.Key points• Co-cultivation fermentation significantly promoted ginsenoside biotransformation.• The staged inoculation in co-culture mode was an optimal operation method.• The pharmacological activity of the co-cultured solution was significantly enhanced.

Effects of Oral Vitamin C Supplementation on Liver Health and Associated Parameters in Patients With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now recognized as the most prevalent hepatic disorder worldwide, and an unhealthy lifestyle is the leading risk factor for its occurrence. Vitamin C (VC) has been suggested to protect NAFLD, whereas evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is sparse. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential benefits of VC supplementation daily on liver health and associated parameters in patients with NAFLD. In this double-blind, RCT, 84 patients with NAFLD, aged 18-60 years old, were assigned to 12 weeks of oral treatment with either low (250 mg/day, n = 26), medium (1,000 mg/day, n = 30), or high (2,000 mg/day, n = 28) doses of VC supplements. After the intervention, the Medium group had a more significant decrease in aspartate aminotransferase [Medium, -5.00 (-10.25, -1.75) vs. High, -2.50 (-7.75, 0.00), P = 0.02] and alanine aminotransferase [Medium, -8.00 (-18.00, -1.75) vs. High, -3.50 (-13.75, 4.25), P = 0.05; Medium vs. Low, -3.00 (-9.00, 5.50), P = 0.031]. The levels of other indicators of liver health, such as gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin were decreased after the intervention but comparable among the three groups and so did the parameters of glucose metabolism, such as fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance. The plasma level of VC in patients and total adiponectin and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin levels were also elevated but not in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, analysis of fecal microbiota composition showed an increase in the alpha diversity (Abundance-based Coverage Estimator (ACE), Shannon, chao1, and Simpson) both in the Low and the Medium groups. A total of 12 weeks of VC supplementation, especially 1,000 mg/day, improved liver health and glucose metabolism in patients with NAFLD. The elevated plasma levels of VC, total and HMW adiponectin, and the improvement of intestinal microbiota may have made some contributions.

Effect of Acupuncture on Simple Obesity and Serum Levels of Prostaglandin E and Leptin in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

AIM: The study is aimed at investigating the curative effect of acupuncture on simple obesity and its influence on serum levels of prostaglandin E and leptin in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS: In the study, there are 50 male SD rats. We took 10 as healthy controls and fed 40 with a diet of high fat for 8 weeks. After the 40 rat model was established successfully, we fed 10 rats in the model group with a normal diet and treated 10 rats in the acupuncture group by acupuncture. During the experiment, the body fat and body length of rats were measured weekly, and Lee's index was calculated. After the treatment, the levels of leptin, prostaglandin E, C-reactive protein (CRP), triacylglycerol (TG), cholesterol (CHO), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were detected, and the liver fat morphology was observed by electron microscope. RESULTS: Acupuncture significantly downregulated the serum levels of CRP, TG, CHO, LDL, leptin, and prostaglandin E and upregulated the serum levels of HDL in rats with simple obesity. CONCLUSION: On basis of these results, it was found that acupuncture could boost fat metabolism and weight loss by inhibiting the production of leptin and prostaglandin E.

Improving the functionality of chitosan-based packaging films by crosslinking with nanoencapsulated clove essential oil.

The study aimed to obtain chitosan composite films with gratifying physical and functional properties. First, we developed a Pickering emulsion containing clove essential oil (CEO)-loaded nanoparticles with 1:2 (w/w) zein and sodium caseinate (NaCas). We found that in this ratio, the CEO-loaded zein-NaCas (C/ZN) nanoparticles had smaller particle size, proper polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential as well as higher encapsulation efficiency. Then, the acquired C/ZN nanoparticles were incorporated into chitosan film at three levels (0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%), reducing the water vapor permeability to 4.62 × 10-6 g·s-1·m-1·Pa. Also, the tensile strength and break elongation of chitosan films were increased, reaching 38.67 MPa and 1.56%, respectively. The infrared spectroscopy verified that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds exist between chitosan and C/ZN nanoparticles. The chitosan composite films showed a controlled-release property of CEO in 96 h. Finally, the chitosan composite films showed the improved antibacterial property by creating larger inhibition zones against Escherichia coli (3.29 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (6.15 mm). In general, we improved the water resistance, light blocking, mechanical strength, controlled-release and antibacterial properties of chitosan film with C/ZN nanoparticles. The current edible antibacterial films have great potential on applications for food preservation and food delivery system.

Investigation of the Formation Mechanism and Curcumin Bioaccessibility of Emulsion Gels Based on Sugar Beet Pectin and Laccase Catalysis.

In this study, modified whey protein hydrolysates (WPH) were obtained after succinic anhydride succinylation and linear dextrin glycation, and emulsion gels were prepared on the basis of unmodified/modified WPH stabilized emulsions with sugar beet pectin (SBP) addition and laccase-catalyzed cross-linking. The influences of emulsifier types and SBP contents on the texture of emulsion gels were estimated. The texture and rheological properties of emulsion gels were characterized. An ideal gel emulsion was formed when the SBP content was 3% (w/w). A uniform network was observed in emulsion gels stabilized by W-L, W-L-S, and W-S-L. In addition, the effect of the emulsifier type on the bioaccessibility of curcumin encapsulated in emulsion gels was investigated and the W-S-L stabilized emulsion gel exhibited the highest curcumin bioaccessibility (65.57%). This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of emulsion gels with different textures by SBP addition and laccase cross-linking as encapsulation delivery systems.

Animal-Derived and Plant-Derived Protein Supplement Feeds Are Important Sources of Organophosphate Esters in the Food Supply.

Animal protein supplement feeds (APFs) are important raw feed materials for livestock. APFs might be susceptible to organophosphate esters (OPEs) but have not been paid attention yet. In the present study, animal-derived (meat meal, feather meal, and blood meal) and plant-derived APFs were all found to contain detectable levels of OPEs, with 16 target OPEs ranging from 12.6 ng/g dry weight (dw) to 301 ng/g dw. Meat meal contained the highest OPE level (mean: 117 ± 75.6 ng/g dw), followed by feather meal (54.6 ± 30.0 ng/g dw), plant-derived feed (41.9 ± 16.0 ng/g dw), and blood meal (28.0 ± 12.0 ng/g dw). Considering its widespread consumption, plant-derived APFs might be an important source of OPE exposure for livestock. Dust adhesion contributed to OPE contamination both in feather meal and plant-derived APFs. Congener patterns varied among the different APFs. Tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate dominated in the plant-derived feed and blood meal, while tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate and triphenyl phosphate were the major contributors in meat meal and feather meal, respectively. Tributyl phosphate and tri-iso-butyl phosphate were found to be statistically correlated in all APFs (p < 0.01), indicating their similar behavior and common sources. The protein-associated transport pathways of OPEs need to be studied separately for different protein matrices in the future.

DHA Protects Against Hepatic Steatosis by Activating Sirt1 in a High Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Mouse Model.

AIM: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22; n-3) shows beneficial effects on Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Deacetylase Sirtuin1 (Sirt1) was reported to increase energy metabolism and decrease lipogenesis. Here, we investigated whether DHA plays a role in protecting against hepatic steatosis via Sirt1. MAIN METHODS: Both in vivo and in vitro hepatic steatosis models were used: diet-induced obesity (DIO) model (middle-aged C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD)) and palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipid accumulation cell model (HepG2 cells). KEY FINDINGS: In DIO mice, treatment with DHA (gavage supplementation) for 8 weeks not only inhibited the lipid accumulation, but also increased fatty acids (FA) oxidation and induced triglyceride export in liver. These changes were accompanied by attenuation of inflammation. Moreover, DHA reversed the HFD-induced reduction of Sirt1 in liver. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of DHA were reversed by lentivirus-mediated Sirt1 knockdown, accompanied with increased expression of markers of lipogenesis, inflammation and reduced FA oxidation. In HepG2 cells, DHA prevented the accumulation of PA-induced lipid droplets, the decrease of FA oxidation and the reduction of Sirt1 level. Inhibition of Sirt1 by sirtinol partially reversed the beneficial effects of DHA on PA-treated cells. SIGNIFICANCE: DHA alleviated hepatic steatosis and reduced inflammation of liver in obese middle-aged mice by mechanisms involving Sirt1 activation.