The survival benefit of metastasectomy for metastatic non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the benefit the metastasectomy for patients with metastatic non-clear cell carcinoma (non-ccRCC). METHODS: This study enrolled 120 patients with confirmed metastatic non-ccRCC from the RCC database of our center from 2008 to 2021. Patients without metastasectomy were grouped as radical nephrectomy without metastasectomy patients. The clinical outcomes included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess potential factors that predict clinical benefits from metastasectomy. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients received radical nephrectomy alone, while the remaining 20 patients underwent both radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy. There was no significant difference in age between the two groups. Out of 100 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy, 60 were male, and out of 20 patients who had both radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy, 12 were male. Patients who underwent systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy had significantly better PFS (27.1 vs. 14.0, p = 0.032) and OS (67.3 vs. 24.0, p = 0.043) than those who underwent systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy alone. Furthermore, for patients without liver metastasis (n = 54), systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy improved both PFS (p = 0.028) and OS (p = 0.043). Similarly, for patients with metachronous metastasis, systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy improved both PFS (p = 0.043) and OS (p = 0.032). None of the patients experienced serious perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo Classification ≥ III grade). CONCLUSION: Metastasectomy in patients with metastatic non-ccRCC may provide clinical benefits in terms of improved PFS and OS, especially in patients without liver metastasis and those with metachronous metastasis.

Obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and risk of kidney stone disease: a national cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between different metabolic syndrome-body mass index (MetS-BMI) phenotypes and the risk of kidney stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants aged 20-80 years from six consecutive cycles of the NHANES 2007-2018 were included in this study. According to their MetS status and BMI, the included participants were allocated into six mutually exclusive groups: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHN)/overweight (MHOW)/obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUN)/overweight (MUOW)/obesity (MUO). To explore the association between MetS-BMI phenotypes and the risk of kidney stones, binary logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratios (ORs). RESULTS: A total of 13,589 participants were included. It was revealed that all the phenotypes with obesity displayed higher risks of kidney stones (OR = 1.38, p < 0.01 for MHO & OR = 1.80, p < 0.001 for MUO, in the fully adjusted model). The risk increased significantly when metabolic dysfunction coexisted with overweight and obesity (OR = 1.39, p < 0.05 for MUOW & OR = 1.80, p < 0.001 for MUO, in the fully adjusted model). Of note, the ORs for the MUO and MUOW groups were higher than those for the MHO and MHOW groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and unhealthy metabolic status can jointly increase the risk of kidney stones. Assessing the metabolic status of all individuals may be beneficial for preventing kidney stones.

A new strategy of transforming an ACQ compound into an AIE theranostic system for bacterial imaging and photodynamic antibacterial therapy.

An organic chemical with fluorescence quenching properties [aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ)] may often be transformed by adding functional groups that cause aggregation-induced emission (AIE) to its molecular scaffold. Such structural change techniques, however, sometimes require challenging chemical reactions. SF136 is a type of chalcone, and it is an typical ACQ organic compound. In this study, cationic surfactants like hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were used to convert the ACQ compound SF136 into an AIE compound without adding any AIE structure units. In comparison to SF136, the SF136-CTAB NPS system not only demonstrated improved bacterial fluorescence imaging capabilities, but also increased photodynamic antibacterial activity, which is connected to its improved targeting and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production abilities. It is a promising theranostic substance against bacteria owing to these enhanced qualities. Other ACQ fluorescent compounds may also benefit from using this approach, broadening the scope of their potential applications.

Mnsod1 promotes the development of Pleurotus ostreatus and enhances the tolerance of mycelia to heat stress.

BACKGROUND: Superoxide dismutases (SODs, EC 1.15.1.1) are defense proteins that can be used as sweepers to clear reactive oxygen species (ROS). They have been widely studied in the plant. Intensive research demonstrates that SOD plays an essential role in plants. However, in Pleurotus ostreatus, the function and regulatory pathway of SOD in the growth and development and the abiotic stress response have not been clear. RESULTS: In this study, three MnSOD-encoding genes of the P. ostreatus CCMSSC00389 strain were cloned and identified. Mnsod1, Mnsod2, and Mnsod3 were interrupted by 3, 7, and 2 introns, and encoded proteins of 204, 220, and 344 amino acids, respectively. By comparing the relative expression of three MnSOD-encoding genes in mycelia, the results showed that the gene with the highest primary expression was Mnsod1. Subsequently, the function of P. ostreatus Mnsod1 was explored by overexpression (OE) and RNA interference (RNAi). The results showed that during the growth and development of P. ostreatus, MnSOD1 protein increased gradually from mycelia to the fruiting body, but decreased in spores. The change of Mnsod1 transcription level was not consistent with the changing trend of MnSOD1 protein. Further studies showed that during primordia formation, the expression of Mnsod1 gradually increased, reaching a peak at 48 h, and the transcription level was 2.05-folds compared to control. H2O2 content progressively accumulated during the formation of primordia, and its change trend was similar to that of Mnsod1 transcription. OE-Mnsod1-1 and OE-Mnsod1-21 strains accelerated the formation of primordia. The results suggested that Mnsod1 may participate in the formation rate of P. ostreatus primordium by regulating the signal molecule H2O2. In addition, OE-Mnsod1-1 and OE-Mnsod1-21 strains shortened the mycelial recovery time after heat stress and improved the tolerance of the strains to 2.5 mM and 5 mM H2O2, which showed that Mnsod1 was involved in the response of P. ostreatus mycelium to heat stress. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that Mnsod1 plays an active role in the formation of P. ostreatus primordia and the response to abiotic stress.

Surfactant Penetration into Human Skin from Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate and Lauramidopropyl Betaine Mixtures.

Surfactant mixtures are used in a variety of personal care and cosmetic applications but are known to be harsh on the skin. The purpose of this study was to examine anionic surfactant penetration into human skin from nonideal surfactant mixtures under short-time exposure conditions that are relevant to realistic exposure scenarios. This was done by measuring the penetration of a radiolabeled probe (14C-SDS) into human cadaver skin in Franz diffusion cells in vitro from the mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and lauramidopropyl betaine (LAPB). Monomer and micelle concentrations in the SDS/LAPB/14C-SDS mixtures were predicted using a regular solution theory approximation. We confirmed that the mixtures of SDS and LAPB exhibit nonideal behavior with a net attraction between the two surfactants. Penetration of 14C-SDS into excised human skin from the mixtures of SDS and LAPB was found to decrease in a log-linear manner with increasing mole fraction of LAPB in the bulk solution (R2 = 0.97, p < 0.001). Additionally, the penetration of 14C-SDS into excised human skin from the mixtures of SDS and LAPB was found to correlate linearly and strongly with the predicted values of 14C-SDS monomer concentration in SDS/LAPB/14C-SDS mixtures (R2 = 0.95, p < 0.01). 14C-SDS penetration from the mixed surfactant composition could be quantitatively reconciled with that from an SDS-only composition by postulating a secondary, positive contribution from LAPB related to its own penetration and binding to skin components that increased SDS penetration at low concentrations. This research therefore supports a monomer penetration theory of surfactant penetration into the skin, combined with a measurable impact of favorable surfactant interactions within the tissue.

Synthesis and activity of a coumarin-based fluorescent probe for hydroxyl radical detection.

As a type of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydroxyl radical (·OH) is closely associated with many kinds of diseases. The present study aimed to develo p a novel OH fluorescent probe based on coumarin, a new compound that has not been previously reported. This probe exhibited good linear range and selectivity for ·OHl, and is able to avoid interference from some metal ions and other kinds of ROS (H2 O2 , O2 .- , 1 O2 , and HClO). Meanwhile, this probe has been used to evaluate the ·OH-scavenging efficiency of different compounds, such as isopropyl alcohol, cytosine, uracil, Tempo, Glutathione (GSH), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Therefore, the present study shows that this probe not only can effectively measure the level of ·OH, but also can assess the ·OH-scavenging efficiency of different compounds. Furthermore this current study suggested that following further optimization, this probe may be potentially applied in the diagnosis of oxidative stress in human body.

Comparison of physicochemical and biochemical properties of natural and arginine-modified melanin from medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.

Melanin is a hydrophobic biomolecule produced widely in fungi. Compared with other fungi, health benefits have been associated with medicinal mushrooms, which may provide an excellent source of natural melanin. Nevertheless, the hydrophobicity of melanin may limit its applications. Consequently, the present study was carried out on isolation of melanin from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (GLM) and modification with arginine to improve its solubility. The physicochemical and biochemical properties of melanin were evaluated including structural characterization, solubility, stability, antioxidant activities, and inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase activity. Arginine-modified melanin showed better solubility, higher color value, stronger antioxidant activity, and stronger inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro than GLM. In addition, both have good stability in the dark and natural light. These results opened possibilities for providing an excellent source of natural melanin in health food or food additives fields.

Metagenomic Analysis of the Jinding Duck Fecal Virome.

Ducks play an important role in transmitting and maintaining mammalian viruses in nature, and are a reservoir host of many animal viruses. We analyzed the fecal virome of four strains (A, B, C, and D) of ducks living in isolation by using metagenomic analysis. The feces of the ducks tested contained 18 animal virus families. The percentage values of RNA virus reads, compared to the total animal virus reads in each of the four strains were 96.96% (A), 97.30% (B), 98.01 (C), and 67.49% (D), and were mainly from Orthomyxoviridae, Mimiviridae, Bunyaviridae, Picobirnaviridae, and Reoviridae. Meanwhile, the minority of DNA virus reads were related to Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, Iridoviridae, and other, low abundance viral families. The percentage values of Orthomyxoviridae, Mimiviridae, Bunyaviridae, Picobirnaviridae, and Herpesviridae reads were not significantly different among strains A, B, and C; however, there were marked differences in the abundance of these reads in strain D. In summary, this study provides an unbiased examination of the viral diversity in the feces of four strains of ducks in specific-pathogen-free periods, and highlights the variation in the percentage of viral families present. These results can be used as a reference for detecting duck viral pathogens and predicting zoonotic potential.

Hydrolysis of oligosaccharides by a fungal α-galactosidase from fruiting bodies of a wild mushroom Leucopaxillus tricolor.

A novel acidic α-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22) designated as Leucopaxillus tricolor α-galactosidase (LTG) has been purified to homogeneity from the fruiting bodies of L. tricolor to 855-fold with a specific activity of 956 U mg-1 by the application of chromatography and gel filtration. The molecular mass of LTG was estimated to be 60 kDa as determined by both SDS-PAGE and by gel filtration. The purified enzyme was identified by LC-MS/MS and four inner amino acid sequences were obtained. When 4-nitrophenyl α-D-glucopyranoside (pNPGal) was used as substrate, the optimal pH and optimal temperature of LTG were pH 5.0 and 50 °C, respectively. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by Hg2+ , Fe3 , Cu2+ , Cd2+ , and Mn2+ ions. The chemical modification agent N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) completely inhibited the enzyme activity of LTG, indicating the paramount importance of tryptophan residue(s) to its enzymatic activity. Besides, LTG displayed wide substrate diversity with activity toward a variety of substrates such as stachyose, raffinose, melibiose, locust bean gum, and guar gum. Given the good ability of degrading the non-digestible and flatulence-causing oligosaccharides, this fungus may become a useful source of α-galactosidase for multiple applications.

Autophagy activated by duck enteritis virus infection positively affects its replication.

Duck enteritis virus (DEV) is an acute, septic, sexually transmitted disease that occurs in ducks, geese and other poultry. Autophagy is an evolutionarily ancient pathway that is important in many viral infections. Despite extensive study, the interplay between DEV and autophagy of host cells is not clearly understood. In this study, we found that DEV infection triggers autophagy in duck embryo fibroblast (DEF) cells, as demonstrated by the appearance of autophagosome-like double- or single-membrane vesicles in the cytoplasm of host cells and the number of GFP-LC3 dots. In addition, increased conversion of the autophagy marker protein LC3-I and LC3-II and decreased p62/SQSTM1 indicated complete autophagy flux. Heat-inactivated DEV infection did not induce autophagy, suggesting that the trigger of autophagy in DEF cells depended on DEV replication. When autophagy was pharmacologically inhibited by LY294002 or wortmannin, DEV replication decreased. The DEV offspring yield decreased when small interference RNA was used to interfere with autophagy related to the genes Beclin-1 and ATG5. In contrast, after treating DEF cells with rapamycin, an inducer of autophagy, DEV replication increased. These results indicated that DEV infection induced autophagy in DEF cells and autophagy facilitated DEV replication.

[The Enhancement Research of Magnetic Stirring with Laser Irradiation Aqueous Solution on ICP Source Radiation].

At present, the way to introduce the sample into the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) light source is still in the form of solution. In order to improve the treatment effect of the aqueous solution and change its physical properties, the surface tension and viscosity under different experimental conditions were measured with magnetic stirring combined with laser irradiation. . The treated samples were introduced into the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) to measure the spectral line intensity, signal-to-background ratio, excitation temperature and electron density emitted by the ICP source. The experimental results showed that: when the magnetic stirrer rotate speed was 1 197 r·min-1, the laser power density was 0.227 6 W·cm-2 and irradiation for 15 min, the surface tension and viscosity of the solution were decreased by 27.85% and 8.66% respectively than those of the untreated solution. As to the element spectral lines of As 188.980 nm, Cd 214.439 nm, Cr 267.716 nm, Cu 324.754 nm, Hg 253.652 nm and Pb 220.353nm: the intensity was enhanced 32.07%, 65.36%, 18.27%, 32.29%, 19.38% and 54.28%; the signal-to-background ratio increased by 25.13%, 60.97%, 18.18%, 27.69%, 21.11% and 48.93%, respectively. The enhancement of the plasma radiation was explained to a certain extent by measuring the excitation temperature and electron density of the plasma. The processing method of the aqueous solution can effectively improve the spectral intensity and signal-to-background ratio of the ICP. Compared with the laser irradiation aqueous solution separately, this method significantly shortened the processing time, improve the efficiency. This method is simple, with no secondary pollution in the treatment of the sample solution, convenient popularization and use.

[Enhancement effect of double-beam laser processed aqueous solution on ICP emission spectrum].

In order to change the physical properties of aqueous solution and improve the radiation intensity of the ICP emission spectrum, the effects of different laser power density and irradiation time on the surface tension and viscosity of aqueous solution were investigated by using near infrared laser at 976 nm and CO2 laser at 10. 6 µm to irradiate aqueous solution orthogonally, then the enhancement of ICP spectral intensity with processed solution was discussed. The results showed that the surface tension and viscosity of aqueous solution reduced by 42. 13% and 14. 03% compared with the untreated, and the atomization efficiency increased by 51.26% at the laser power density 0. 265 7 W . cm-2 of 976 nm and 0. 206 9 W . cm-2 of CO2 laser with 40 min irradiation time. With the optimized aqueous solution introduced into the ICP source, the spectral line intensity of sample elements As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb was enhanced by 46.29%, 94. 65%, 30. 76%, 33.07% and 94. 58% compared to the untreated aqueous solution, while the signal-to-background ratio increased by 43. 84%, 85. 35%, 28. 71%, 34. 37% and 90. 91%, respectively. Plasma temperature and electron density also increased by 5. 94% and 1. 18% respectively. It is obvious that the method of double-beam laser orthogonal irradiation on solution can reduce the surface tension and viscosity of aqueous solution significantly, and raise the radiationintensity of ICP source, and will provide a better condition for detecting the trace heavy metal elements in water samples.

[Enhancement effect of laser-processed aqueous solution on ICP source radiation].

To enhance the intensity of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrum and improve the detection level of trace heavy metal elements, the surface tension and viscosity of the aqueous solution processed by near-infrared laser at wave-length of 976 nm were studied in the present paper. The influences of the treated solution on the spectral line intensity and signal-to-background ratio of the ICP source were observed. The results showed that when the laser irradiation time was 60 min and the power density was 0.329 6 W x cm(-2), the surface tension and viscosity of the solution decreased by 36.73% and 9.73% respectively compared to the untreated solution. Under the optimum conditions, the aqueous solution treated by the laser irradiation was introduced into the ICP source. By measuring the intensity of emission spectrum of the sample elements, the spectral line intensity of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, and Pb was enhanced by about 73.52%, 22.97%, 33.86%, 24.44% and 65.59% compared to the untreated solution, while the signal-to-background ratio increased by 76.03%, 21.74%, 32.17%, 22.68% and 65.32%, respectively. Spectral line intensity and signal-to-background ratio of the ICP source were significantly improved so that the foundation was established for reducing the analysis detection limits. Further more, the surface tension and viscosity of the processed aqueous solution remain the same within 30 minutes standing time with the stable physical properties. This simple and easy method of laser-processed aqueous solution helps improve the detection capabilities of ICP spectrometry.

Solvent and Crystallization Effects on the Dermal Absorption of Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Compounds.

This study probes the mechanisms by which volatile solvents (water, ethanol) and a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100) influence the skin permeation of dissolved solutes following deposition of small doses onto unoccluded human skin. A secondary objective was to sharpen guidelines for the use of these and other simple solvent systems for dermal safety testing of cosmetic ingredients at finite doses. Four solutes were studied - niacinamide, caffeine, testosterone and geraniol - at doses close to that estimated to saturate the upper layers of the stratum corneum. Methods included tensiometry, visualization of spreading on skin, polarized light microscopy and in vitro permeation testing using radiolabeled solutes. Ethanol, aqueous ethanol and dilute aqueous Triton solutions all yielded surface tensions below 36 mN/m, allowing them to spread easily on the skin, unlike water (72.4 mN/m) which did not spread. Deposition onto skin of niacinamide (32 µg·cm-2) or caffeine (3.2 µg·cm-2) from water and ethanol led to crystalline deposits on the skin surface, whereas the same amounts applied from aqueous ethanol and 2 % Triton did not. Skin permeation of these compounds was inversely correlated to the extent of crystallization. A separate study with caffeine showed the absence of a dose-related skin permeability increase with Triton. Permeation of testosterone (8.2 µg·cm-2) was modestly increased when dosed from aqueous ethanol versus ethanol. Permeation of geraniol (2.9 µg·cm-2) followed the order aqueous ethanol > water ∼ 2 % Triton >> ethanol and was inversely correlated with evaporative loss. We conclude that, under the conditions tested, aqueous ethanol and Triton serve primarily as deposition aids and do not substantially disrupt stratum corneum lipids. Implications for the design of in vitro skin permeability tests are discussed.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute gastrointestinal injury in patients with sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in sepsis combined with acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) of different grades, and to further explore the risk factors associated with the poor prognosis of patients. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with septic ARDS admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Tianjin First Central Hospital from March to October 2023 were collected. According to the 2012 European Association of Critical Care Medicine AGI definition and grading criteria, the patients were categorized into AGI grade 0- IV groups. The clinical characteristics and 28-day clinical outcomes of the patients were observed; the risk factors related to the prognosis of patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI were analyzed by using univariate and multivariate Logistic regression; and the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) and calibration curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive value of each risk factor on the prognosis of patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI. RESULTS: A total of 92 patients with septic ARDS were enrolled, including 7 patients in the AGI 0 group, 20 patients in the AGI I group, 38 patients in the AGI II group, 23 patients in the AGI III group, and 4 patients in the AGI IV group. The incidence of AGI was 92.39%. With the increase of AGI grade, the ARDS grade increased, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEU), lymphocyte count (LYM), lymphocyte percentage (LYM%), and 28-day mortality all showed a significant increasing trend, while the oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) showed a significant decreasing trend (all P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that APACHE II score, SOFA score, and ARDS classification were positively correlated with patients' AGI grade (Pearson correlation index was 0.386, 0.473, and 0.372, respectively, all P < 0.001), and PaO2/FiO2 was negatively correlated with patients' AGI grade (Pearson correlation index was -0.425, P < 0.001). Among the patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI, there were 68 survivors and 17 deaths at 28 days. The differences in APACHE II score, SOFA score, ARDS grade, AGI grade, PaO2/FiO2, IAP, AGI 7-day worst value, length of ICU stay, and total length of hospital stay between the survival and death groups were statistically significant. Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that SOFA score [odds ratio (OR) = 1.350, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.071-1.702, P = 0.011], PaO2/FiO2 (OR = 0.964, 95%CI was 0.933-0.996, P = 0.027) and AGI 7-day worst value (OR = 2.103, 95%CI was 1.194-3.702, P = 0.010) were the risk factors for 28-day mortality in patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that SOFA score (OR = 1.384, 95%CI was 1.153-1.661, P < 0.001), PaO2/FiO2 (OR = 0.983, 95%CI was 0.968-0.999, P = 0.035) and AGI 7-day worst value (OR = 1.992, 95%CI was 1.141-3.478, P = 0.015) were the independent risk factors for 28-day mortality in patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI. ROC curve analysis showed that SOFA score, PaO2/FiO2 and AGI 7-day worst value had predictive value for the 28-day prognosis of patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.824 (95%CI was 0.697-0.950), 0.760 (95%CI was 0.642-0.877) and 0.721 (95%CI was 0.586-0.857), respectively, all P < 0.01; when the best cut-off values of the above metrics were 5.50 points, 163.45 mmHg (1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa), and 2.50 grade, the sensitivities were 94.1%, 94.1%, 31.9%, respectively, and the specificities were 80.9%, 67.6%, 88.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of AGI in patients with septic ARDS is about 90%, and the higher the AGI grade, the worse the prognosis of the patients. SOFA score, PaO2/FiO2 and AGI 7-day worst value have a certain predictive value for the prognosis of patients with septic ARDS combined with AGI, among which, the larger the SOFA score and AGI 7-day worst value, and the smaller the PaO2/FiO2, the higher the patients' mortality.

All-natural polysaccharide and protein complex nanoparticles from Clitocybe squamulosa as unique Pickering stabilizers for oil-in-water emulsions.

This study aimed to develop novel nanoparticles that can serve as an excellent oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering stabilizer. The polysaccharide-protein complex nanoparticles (PPCNs-20 and PPCNs-40) were prepared at different ultrasonication amplitudes (20 % and 40 %, respectively) from the polysaccharide-protein complexes (PPCs) which were extracted from the residue of Clitocybe squamulose. Compared with PPCs and PPCNs-20, the PPCNs-40 exhibited dispersed blade and rod shape, smaller average size, and larger zeta potential, which indicated significant potential in O/W Pickering emulsion stabilizers. Subsequently, PPCNs-40 stabilized Pickering emulsions were characterized at different concentrations, pHs, and oil phase contents. The average size, micromorphology, rheological properties, and storage stability of the emulsions were improved as the concentration of PPCNs-40, the ratio of the soybean oil phase and pH value increased. Pickering emulsions showed the best stability when the concentration of PPCNs-40 was 3 wt%, and the soybean oil fraction was 30 % under both neutral and alkaline conditions. The emulsions demonstrated shear thinning and gelation behavior. These findings have implications for the use of eco-friendly nanoparticles as stabilizers for Pickering emulsions and provide strategies for increasing the added value of C. squamulosa.

Functional Properties, Rheological Characteristics, Simulated Digestion, and Fermentation by Human Fecal Microbiota of Polysaccharide from Morchella importuna.

Morchella importuna polysaccharide (MIP) has been proven to have obvious hypoglycemic effects on mice with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study looked at the functional and rheological characteristics of MIP, and investigated the effects of MIP on the human fecal microbiota through in vitro fermentation experiments. The outcomes demonstrate the excellent oil-holding capacity, emulsifying, foaming, and rheological characteristics of MIP. After salivary gastrointestinal digestion, the Mw of MIP decreased from 398.2 kDa and 21.5 kDa to 21.9 kDa and 11.7 kDa. By 16S rRNA sequencing of bacteria fermented in vitro, it was found that MIP did not improve the richness and diversity of intestinal microorganisms, but it may exert an anti-T2DM function by significantly increasing the relative abundance of Firmicutes and promoting Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014, Bacteroides, and Blautia proliferation. Escherichia-Shigella could also be inhibited to improve the intestinal microenvironment. In addition, the fermentation of MIP increased the total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration from 3.23 mmol/L to 39.12 mmol/L, and the propionic acid content increased significantly. In summary, MIP has excellent processing performance and is expected to exert potential anti-T2DM activity through the human intestinal microbiota, which has broad market prospects.

The effect of sequential extraction on the physicochemical and rheological properties of Naematelia aurantialba polysaccharides.

To overcome the difficulty of separation and low rate of extraction caused by highly viscous polysaccharides from Naematelia aurantialba (NA), four N. aurantialba polysaccharides (NAPs) were sequentially extracted using water (enzyme-/ultrasound-assisted extraction), alkali (0.1 mol/L NaOH), and acid (0.1 mol/L HCl), and named E-NAP, U-NAP, Al-NAP, and Ac-NAP. The properties of four NAPs were different. The yields of NAPs were 26.05 % (Ac-NAP) > 20.33 % (Al-NAP) > 17.99 % (U-NAP) > 12.77 % (E-NAP), respectively. The monosaccharide composition of NAPs was composed primarily of mannose, xylose, glucose, glucuronic acid, and galactose. Sequential extraction improved the purity and solubility of NAPs, but decreased the particle size, thermal stability, water retention, and crystallinity. Two polysaccharides, U-NAP and Al-NAP, had a triple helix structure. All the NAPs were pseudoplastic fluids with concentration/frequency-dependent entangled structure. Al-NAP with the highest viscosity exhibited an elastic gel, while Ac-NAP with the lowest viscosity was a viscous gel. The behavior of NAPs differed from that predicted using the Cox-Merz rule, and in particular, E-NAP and U-NAP more significantly deviated from the rule. In this study, four NAPs with different properties were extracted sequentially, which provided a theoretical basis for the down-stream processing with high added-value and utilization of NA and NAP.

Polysaccharide from Clitocybe squamulosa: Gel-forming properties and its compound effect with food thickener.

To study the gel-forming properties of polysaccharide from the fruiting body of Clitocybe squamulosa (CSFP) and its degradation product (UH-CSFP), the changes in steady-state and dynamic rheological properties of CSFP and UH-CSFP under different conditions (polysaccharide mass fraction, temperature, pH, and salt ion concentration) were studied. Polysaccharides with good gel-forming properties were selected and mixed with common edible thickeners (gelatin, guar gum, and locust bean gum), after which the properties of the composite gel were assessed. The steady-state rheological results showed that CSFP and UH-CSFP were pseudoplastic fluids, their apparent viscosity decreased with increasing temperature, the viscosity was greatest when the pH was 7. The addition of Na+ and Ca2+ could increase the viscosity, and the viscosity of UH-CSFP was lower than that of CSFP at the same mass fraction. The results of dynamic rheology indicated that G´ and G´´ of CSFP and UH-CSFP increased with increasing mass fraction, pH, and ion concentration (0.01 M to 1 M), and G´´ was always smaller than G´ indicating weak gel behavior. The thixotropy-related experimental results showed that the thixotropy ring area of CSFP and UH-CSFP increased with increasing mass fraction, the ring area of CSFP was larger than that of UH-CSFP, and the gel strength of CSFP was greater than that of UH-CSFP. The results of CSFP and three types of edible gels showed that the composite gels were pseudoplastic fluids, and their apparent viscosity was ranked (in descending order) as follows: guar bean gum, locust bean gum, and gelatin. The addition of CSFP improved the gel-forming properties of guar gum but did not significantly improve the gel properties of locust bean gum and gelatin. This study provides a theoretical basis for the selection of processing methods and the application of polysaccharides.

Research progress of organic fluorescent probes for lung cancer related biomarker detection and bioimaging application.

As one of the major public health problems, cancers seriously threaten the human health. Among them, lung cancer is considered to be one of the most life-threatening malignancies. Therefore, developing early diagnosis technology and timely treatment for lung cancer is urgent. Recent research has witnessed that measuring changes of biomarkers expressed in lung cancer has practical significance. Meanwhile, we note that bioimaging with organic fluorescent probes plays an important role for its high sensitivity, real-time analysis and simplicity of operation. In the past years, kinds of organic fluorescent probes targeting lung cancer related biomarker have been developed. Herein, we summarize the research progress of organic fluorescent probes for the detection of lung cancer related biomarkers in this review, along with their design principle, luminescence mechanism and bioimaging application. Additionally, we put forward some challenges and future prospects from our perspective.