Investigation of the peptides with calcium chelating capacity in hydrolysate derived from spent hen meat.

Calcium peptide chelates are developed as efficient supplements for preventing calcium deficiency. Spent hen meat (SHM) contains a high percentage of proteins but is generally wasted due to the disadvantages such as hard texture. We chose the underutilized SHM to produce peptides to bind calcium by proteolysis and aimed to investigate chelation between calcium and peptides in hydrolysate for a sustainable purpose. The optimized proteolysis conditions calculated from the result of response surface methodology for two-step hydrolysis were 0.30% (wenzyme/wmeat) for papain with a hydrolysis time of 3.5 h and 0.18% (wenzyme/wmeat) for flavourzyme with a hydrolysis time of 2.8 h. The enzymatic hydrolysate (EH) showed a binding capacity of 63.8 ± 1.8 mg calcium/g protein. Ethanol separation for EH improved the capacity up to a higher value of 68.6 ± 0.6 mg calcium/g protein with a high association constant of 420 M-1 (25°C) indicating high stability. The separated fraction with a higher amount of Glu, Asp, Lys, and Arg had higher calcium-binding capacity, which was related to the number of ─COOH and ─NH2 groups in peptide side chains according to the result from amino acid analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Two-step enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol separation were an efficient combination to produce peptide mixtures derived from SHM with high calcium-binding capacity. The high percentage of hydrophilic amino acids in the separated fraction was concluded to increase calcium-binding capacity. This work provides foundations for increasing spent hen utilization and developing calcium peptide chelates based on underutilized meat.

Genetically predicted selenium concentrations and thyroid function: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of selenium (Se) on human thyroid function remains unclear, with inconsistent results from recent epidemiological studies. Moreover, the observed associations are prone to bias due to potential confounding and reverse causation. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis facilitates the large minimization of biases produced by environmental and lifestyle influences, providing unconfounded estimates of causal effects using instrumental variables. We aim to examine the association between Se concentrations and human thyroid function using a two-sample MR analysis. DESIGN AND METHODS: Genetic instruments for Se concentrations, including toenail and blood (TAB) and blood Se concentrations, were identified from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of blood Se (n = 5477) and toenail Se levels (n = 4162). GWAS summary statistics on thyroid phenotypes were downloaded from the ThyroidOmics consortium, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (n = 54,288), free thyroxin (FT4) (n = 49,269), hypo (n = 53,423), and hyperthyroidism (n = 51,823). The MR study was conducted using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented with the weighted median and the mode-based method. RESULTS: Genetically determined TAB Se was negatively associated with FT4 (ß = -.067; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.106, -0.028; p = 0.001) using the IVW analyses, as well in the additional analyses using the weighted median and weighted-mode methods. No evidence in heterogeneity, pleiotropy or outlier single-nucleotide polymorphisms was detected (all p > 0.05). Suggestive casual association between increased genetically determined TAB Se concentrations and decreased hypothyroidism risk was found by the IVW method (odds ratio [OR] = 0.847; 95% CI = 0.728, 0.985; p = 0.031). The causal effect of TAB Se on FT4 was observed in women (ß = -.076; 95% CI = -0.129, -0.024; p = 0.004). However, the influence of genetically determined higher Se concentrations on TSH levels and hyperthyroidism revealed insignificance in the primary and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The present MR study indicated that high Se concentration enable the decreasing of FT4 levels, and the effects of Se concentrations on FT4 remain sex-specific.

Naturally occurring nanotube with surface modification as biocompatible, target-specific nanocarrier for cancer phototherapy.

Phototherapy has drawn increasing attention including the use of nanocarriers with high drug loading capacity and delivery efficacy for target-specific therapy. We have made use of naturally-occurring halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to build a biomimetic nanocarrier platform for target-specific delivery of phototherapeutic agents. The HNTs were decorated with poly(sodium-p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) to enhance the biocompatibility, and were further functionalized by lumen loading the type-II photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG). The HNT-PSS-ICG nanocarrier, without further tethering targeting groups, was shown to associate with the membrane of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) via Pickering effects. Application of HNT-PSS-ICG nanocarrier to human breast cancer cells gave rise to a cell mortality as high as 95%. The HNT-PSS-ICG nanocarrier was further coated with MDA-MB-436 cell membranes to endow it with targeting therapy performance against breast cancer, which was confirmed by in vivo experiments using breast cancer tumors in mice. The membrane-coated and biocompatible nanocarrier preferentially concentrated in the tumor tissue, and efficiently decreased the tumor volume by a combination of photodynamic and photothermal effects upon near-infrared light exposure. Our results demonstrate that the HNT-based nanocarrier by virtue of facial preparation and high loading capacity can be a promising candidate for membrane-targeting nanocarriers.

[Simultaneous determination of 8 constituents of Desmodii Styracifolii Herba in rat bile with HPLC-MS/MS and their excretion pharmacokinetics].

To establish a HPLC-MS/MS quantitative method for analysis of 8 constituents in rat bile. The method was applied in the biliary excretion study after oral administration of Desmodii Styracifolii Herba extract. The rat bile samples were collected during 0-1, 1-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8, 8-12, 12-24 h. Diamonsil C18column (4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 µm) was adopted and eluted with methanol and 0.01% acetic acid in a gradient mode. The flow rate was 0.8 mL•min⁻¹, and the column temperature was set at 40 ℃. The detection was carried out by a triple quadrupole linearion trap mass spectrometer in the negative ion mode with an electrospray source. Multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode was employed. The calibration curves showed a good linearity, with correlation coefficients (r≥0.991 5) for all of the analytes within the concentration range. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (RSD) were both less than 15%, and the accuracies (RE) ranged from -15% to 15%. The method had a good stability, and was suitable for the content determination of 8 constituents in rat bile. The extraction recoveries of the 8 analytes were more than 63.2%, and the RSD of IS-normalized matrix factors were no more than 15%, which met the requirements for analysis. According to the biliary excretion study, the bile excretion rates of the 8 analytes were relatively low, with great difference among the individuals. The results showed that the established method was simple, selective and specific, thus could be applied in the biliary excretion study of the 8 analytes in rat bile.

Correlation study of basic Chinese medicine syndromes and neurotransmitter levels in patients with primary insomnia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between basic Chinese medicine (CM) syndromes (deficiency and excess syndromes) and intracranial neurotransmitter levels in primary insomnia (PI), to provide objective indicators and syndrome-based medical evidence for the differentiation of PI. METHODS: A total of 158 patients with PI were recruited for CM syndrome differentiation. Another 30 healthy people without sleep disorders were selected as control group. An encephalofluctuograph analyzer was used to test the levels of intracranial neurotransmitters, including γ- aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), etc., and their relevance were analyzed. RESULTS: The neurotransmitter levels in the basic-deficiency group were lower than those in the healthy-control group, while the basic-excess group had higher levels than the healthy-control and basic-deficiency groups. Among the neurotransmitters, the 5-HT level was higher in the basic-excess group than in the basic-deficiency group (24.20±4.07 vs. 21.13±3.23; P<0.05); for the intermingled deficiency-excess group, the level of GABA was higher than that in the basic-deficiency group (9.48±3.07 vs. 7.23±3.67; P<0.05), Glu level was higher than that in the healthy-control group (7.53±4.10 vs. 5.83±0.99, P<0.05), and 5-HT and DA levels were lower than those in the healthy-control group (19.80±5.68 vs. 22.63±3.31, 5.27±3.79 vs. 6.83±1.58, respectively; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between the basic syndromes and intracranial neurotransmitter levels in patients with PI, which could objectively reflect the CM differentiation in PI. This information could be important for improving CM diagnosis and treatment in PI.

[Effect of Different Purple Parent Rock on Removal Rates of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Organics in Landscape Water].

In order to understand the impacts of physicochemical properties of purple parent rock on the removal rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and organics in landscape water systems, four types of purple parent rocks including Peng-lai-zhen Formation (S1) , Sha-xi-miao Formation (S2) , Fei-xian-guan Formation (S3) and Sui-ning Formation (S4) , which distribute widely in Chongqing, were selected and autoclaved, and added to unsterile landscape water collected from Chong-de Lake in Southwest University, and the landscape water only was used as control. And several indicators such as total nitrogen and phosphorus and so on of every disposal were investigated periodically. The results indicated that: (1) The highest removal rates of total nitrogen, total phosphorus and Ammonia nitrogen were observed in Sl, which were 45.1%, 62.3% and 90%, respectively; the highest removal rate of COD was 94.5% in S4; the ammonia nitrogen content in the purple parent rocks was not obviously changed before and after the experiments, which indicated that the adsorption of ammonia nitrogen on purple parent rock surface was not the main reason for the decrease of ammonia nitrogen in water. (2) Arsenate had inhibitory effect on the sulfate-reducing bacteria, while copper and magnesium had promoting effect on gram-negative bacteria. (3) The microbial diversity was positively correlated to total nitrogen in water. (4) Based on the PCA analyses of microbial community structure and environmental factors, the mineral elements released from parent rock affected the structure and composition of microbial community in the test water, and then influenced the removal rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and organics in water systems.

Schisandra chinensis Baill, a Chinese medicinal herb, alleviates high-fat-diet-inducing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in rats.

BACKGROUND: he present study aims to explore whether Schisandra chinensis Baill, a Chinese, medicinal herb can alleviates high-fat-diet-inducing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the study, 24, male Wister rats with body weight between 180-220g, were included. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: model group, normal control group, rosiglitazone group, and Schisandra chinensis Baill group. The treatment lasted for 56, days. The high-fat diet used in the present study includes 25% lard, 2%, cholesterol 0.5%, sodium cholate, and 25%, Tween-80. The hepatic levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA); the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), were detected. RESULTS: We found that the hepatic levels of SOD were significantly lower, and the serum levels of TC, LDLC as well as, the hepatic levels of MDA in model group were significantly higher than those of normal control group; rosiglitazone group and Schisandra chinensis Baill group (P<0.05), indicates that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis rats were successfully induced by high-fat diet. Schisandra chinensis Baill group presented a significant lower serum levels of LDLC, than rosiglitazone group (P<0.05); and the hepatic levels of SOD in Schisandra chinensis Baill group were significantly lower than rosiglitazone group (P<0.05). However, no significant difference existed between Schisandra chinensis Baill group, and rosiglitazone group on the hepatic levels of MDA and the serum levels of TC (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: It is then concluded that Schisandra chinensis Baill can significantly alleviate the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis of the rats induced by high-fat diet, and it may be used as a complementary therapy for rosiglitazone.

[Clinical observation on the neurotransmitters regulation in patients of insomnia differentiated as yang deficiency pattern treated with warm acupuncture and auricular point sticking therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect mechanism of warm acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking therapy and its efficacy on insomnia by monitoring the level of brain neurotransmitters in the insomnia patients. METHODS: One hundred and thirty patients with insomnia were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 65 cases in each one. In the observation group, based on the treating principle of warming yang and benefiting qi, acupuncture was applied to Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (PC 6) and Shenmen (HT 7). Warm acupuncture was supplemented at Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Yaoyangguan (GV 3). The treatment was given once every day. In the control group, estazolam tablets, 0. 5 to 1 mg were prescribed for oral administration, 30 min before sleep at night. The treatment of 14 days was taken as one session and 2 sessions were required in the two groups. The encephal of luctuograph technology was used to observe the sleep quality and brain neurotransmitters before and after treatment in the two groups and the efficacy was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 83.1% (54/65) in the observation group and 87.7% (57/65) in the control group. The efficacy was similar between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the observation group, after treatment, 5-HT and GABA/Glu were all increased compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and norepinephrine (NE) was reduced compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05). The level of each index did not change significantly before and after treatment in the control group (all P > 0.05). The regulations of 5-HT, GABA/Glu in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The combined therapy of warm acupuncture and auricular point sticking method for warming yang and benefiting qi effectively improves brain neurotransmitters and essentially improves sleep quality of the patients with insomnia differentiated as yang deficiency pattern.