Extraction of insoluble soybean fiber by alternating ultrasonic/alkali and its improved superior physicochemical and functional properties.

Okara, as a by-product of soybean processing, is rich in insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), which is a carbohydrate polymer with various insoluble polysaccharides. Nowadays, the extraction of IDF with excellent functional properties has become a research hotspot. In this work, we further proposed an alternating alkali/ultrasound method for the efficient extraction of IDF. The sequential treatments of alkali (A-ISF), alkali-ultrasonic (AU-ISF), ultrasonic-alkali (UA-ISF), ultrasonic-alkali-ultrasonic (UAU-ISF) and alkali-ultrasonic-alkali (AUA-ISF) were applied to extract insoluble soybean fiber (ISF). FTIR and XRD results proved the typical structure of ISFs, and TGA results demonstrated the improved thermal stability of UAU-ISF and AUA-ISF. Chemical composition measurement showed that UAU-ISF and AUA-ISF exhibited higher cellulose content (>83 %). SEM results revealed that ultrasonic treatment led to a decomposition of okara matrix and significant porous structure in ISFs with an amplified collapse effect, resulting in an increase of the pore size of ISFs, and strengthening the properties of UAU-ISF and AUA-ISF in higher water (>15 g/g)/oil (>12 g/g) holding capacities, cholesterol binding capacity (>36 mg/g), and cation exchange capacity (>0.3 mmol/g), thus providing new insights for the preparation of ISF with high functional properties that are beneficial for human intestinal health.

Deuterated colchicine liposomes based on oligomeric hyaluronic acid modification enhance anti-tumor effect and reduce systemic toxicity.

Deuterated drugs are produced by substituting hydrogen atoms with deuterium atoms at specific sites in a drug molecule to prolong its metabolic cycle and reduce the production of toxic metabolites. Deuterated drugs have recently attracted increasing attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Colchicine exhibits a strong anti-tumor activity but has a short half-life, rapid attenuated drug concentration, narrow treatment window, and lack of tumor-specific targeting in vivo, resulting in toxicity and side effects. In this study, we explored whether deuteration could reduce the toxicity of colchicine. We prepared deuterated colchicine liposomes coated with oligo-hyaluronic acid, which can bind to the tumor-specific CD44 receptor and reduce the clearance of immune cells from the blood, resulting in a long blood circulation time and active targeting. We observed that deuteration of the colchicine B ring reduced drug toxicity and improved the anti-tumor response in 4 T1 breast cancer. Liposomes modified with oligo-hyaluronic acid exhibited increased tumor accumulation, further improving the anti-tumor effect of the drugs. Our results provide a basis for the development and application of deuterated drugs in the field of nano-preparations.

Dual targeting single arrow: Neutrophil-targeted sialic acid-modified nanoplatform for treating comorbid tumors and rheumatoid arthritis.

Clinically, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is frequently accompanied by multi-system diseases. Among them, the incidence of comorbid tumors in RA is relatively high, resulting in a gradual increase in mortality; this poses a considerable challenge to clinical treatment. To date, no effective treatment plan for simultaneous tumor and RA therapy is available. Accordingly, we reported a sialic acid-modified doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome (DOX-SAL) that targets peripheral blood neutrophils (PBNs), which play an important role in tumors and RA. Furthermore, the prepared liposome induced PBN apoptosis by binding to L-selectin, which is highly expressed on the surface of PBNs activated by inflammation. This liposome, in turn, reduced the accumulation of inflammatory neutrophils at the disease site. In the first successfully established mouse model of RA comorbidity, induced by employing S180 sarcoma cells and collagen, DOX-SAL effectively inhibited tumor growth while simultaneously alleviating systemic RA symptoms without side effects. Additionally, the animals demonstrated adequate growth during the 48 days of treatment. This treatment strategy encompasses the best of both worlds, breaking the deadlock that tumors and RA cannot be effectively treated in parallel, highlighting a new concept and reference for the clinical treatment of comorbid tumors and RA.

[Low temperature oxygen plasma sterilization effect on pseudomonas aeruginosa].

OBJECTIVE: Low temperature oxygen plasma was used to sterilize the Pseudomonas aeruginosa samples on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets in a self-designed reactor that included the discharge area, afterglow area and remote area. METHODS: Before and after plasma treatment, the cell morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cell wall or cell membrane cracking was testified to determine the content of protein by using coomassie light blue technique. Besides, double Langmuir probe and electron spin resonance spectroscopy were used to determine the temperature of electrons (ions) and the concentration of free radicals, respectively. RESULTS: Under the treatment time of 30 s,the germicidal effects were 4.2, 3.8 and 2.6 respectively in the three areas. SEM observations showed that the plasma activity cracks the cell wall and cell membrane, resulting in cellular content leakage. In addition,the results from electron spin resonance spectroscopy and double Langmuir electron probe showed that electrons, ions and oxygen free radicals played important roles in sterilization in the discharge area, but only oxygen free radicals acted to sterilize the bacteria in the afterglow area and the remote area. CONCLUSION: The active species can be separated effectively in this reaction equipment, and we further elucidated the mechanisms of plasma sterilization in the remote plasma field.