Effect of a novel alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology of white feather broilers.

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary novel alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant status and intestinal morphology of broilers. In total, 4000 broilers were randomly assigned into five groups and treated with normal control, normal control + 100 mg kg-1 protease, normal control + 200 mg kg-1 protease, normal control + 300 mg kg-1 protease and normal control + 400 mg kg-1 protease. RESULTS: Supplementing protease impacted final body weight (linear, P = 0.003; quadratic, P = 0.006) and decreased feed conversion rate (linear, P = 0.036) in broilers. Moreover, dietary protease significantly increased breast muscle rate (linear, P = 0.005; quadratic, P = 0.021) and decreased drip loss (linear, P < 0.001; quadratic, P < 0.001). In addition, dietary protease notably increased protein digestibility (linear, P = 0.001; quadratic, P = 0.006) and trypsin activity (linear, P = 0.002; quadratic, P = 0.009) in jejunum. Light microscopy revealed that the jejunum villi in the 300 mg kg-1 and 400 mg kg-1 groups exhibited greater height and a denser arrangement compared to those in the control group. The addition of protease decreased malondialdehyde content (linear, P < 0.001; quadratic, P < 0.001) and increased total antioxidant capacity (linear, P = 0.001; quadratic, P < 0.001) in pectoral muscles. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that dietary novel alkaline protease from B. licheniformis improved growth performance by affecting trypsin activity, protein digestibility, antioxidant capacity and intestinal health. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Allelopathic effects of phenolic acid extracts on Morchella mushrooms, pathogenic fungus, and soil-dominant fungus uncover the mechanism of morel continuous cropping obstacle.

The prominent problem of continuous cropping obstacle has been frustrating the morel farming. To deepen the understanding on morel continuous cropping obstacle, the allelopathic effects of phenolic acid extracts from morel continuous cropping soils on growth and development of Morchella sextelata, M. eximia, M. importuna, pathogenic fungus Fusarium sp. and soil-dominant fungus Chaetomium sp. were investigated. These effects were expressed as response index (RI). Under actual content of phenolic acids (6.150 µg/g fresh mixed continuous cropping soil), the mycelial growth of all tested morel strains was inhibited (RI < 0), while the allelopathic effect of control phenolic acids (4.252 µg/g fresh mixed control soil) was between promotion and inhibition, which suggested that the phenolic acid extracts from morel continuous cropping soils may exhibit certain extent of autotoxicity for the existence of morel-specific allelochemicals. In addition, the aggravated pigmentation and reduced occurrence of sclerotium in three Morchella fungi at growth inhibitory concentrations of phenolic acids indicated the induction of morel strain aging. Meanwhile, most concentrations of phenolic acids showed stimulatory effects on sporulation of Fusarium sp. and Chaetomium sp. (RI > 0), manifesting the enrichment of soil-borne pathogenic fungi and dominance of certain fungal population in soil ecosystem. Collectively, the allelopathic effects of phenolic acid extracts play an instrumental role in morel continuous cropping obstacle. The study will be beneficial for healthy development of morel artificial cultivation.

Combining MTI-31 with RAD001 inhibits tumor growth and invasion of kidney cancer by activating autophagy.

At most of the times, patients who are diagnosed with kidney cancer should be provided with systemic treatment as drug resistance is a challenging issue in the treatment of this disease. The progression of the cancer can be inhibited with the help of mTOR inhibitors namely RAD001 (everolimus) and MTI-31. In literature, it has been revealed that these mTOR inhibitors have the potential to stimulate autophagy. This degradation pathway boosts the survival rate of the cancerous cells that are subjected to anti-cancer therapy. In this study, CCK8, colony formation assays, and ethynyl deoxyuridine (EdU) analysis were conducted to detect cell proliferation. Furthermore, Transwell assays were also conducted for cell migration analysis. In addition to these, the researchers also performed the flow cytometry process to identify the cells that are undergoing apoptosis. In vivo, experiments were conducted to measure the growth of tumors and metastasis. In this study, the treatment provided through a combination of MTI-31 and RAD001 significantly inhibited the kidney cancer cells' proliferation and tumor growth. Furthermore, there was a notable reduction in the migration and invasion of kidney cancer cells upon the neighboring cells. The outcomes from the mechanistic studies infer that the combination of MTI-31 and RAD001 increases the LC3 levels, which in turn translates into the activation of autophagy. To conclude, the combination of MTI-31 and RAD001 improves the anti-cancerous impact produced by RAD001 in vivo through the promotion of autophagy.

Protective Autophagy Attenuates the Cytotoxicity of MTI-31 in Renal Cancer Cells by Activating the ERK Pathway.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulatory molecular target to treat cancer, and MTI-31 is a potent mTOR inhibitory agent for the therapeutically target of the renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the therapeutic efficacy of MTI-31 is limited by multiple factors, including autophagy. MTI-31 can activate cells to generate autophagy, which may in turn indirectly affect cell proliferation and apoptosis. We aimed to observe changes in cell protective autophagy via the ERK pathway and explore the potential mechanism underlying drug resistance of RCC cells to MTI-31. Different concentrations of 786-O and RCC4 cells were co-cultured with MTI-31 for distinct durations. The result of autophagy marker detection by Western blot showed that MTI-31 could induce RCC cells to produce autophagy in a dose and time-dependent manner. After treating the RCC cells with the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ), CCK8 and Western blot assays demonstrated that CQ could effectively enhance cell apoptosis induced by MTI-31 and that the autophagy induced by MTI-31 was cytoprotective. In addition, CCK8 and Western blot demonstrated that MTI-31 exerted its effect by activating the ERK pathway rather than the JNK or p38 pathway. The use of the ERK inhibitor AZD6244 to block the ERK pathway could effectively promote cell apoptosis induced by MTI-31. AZD6244 attenuated the autophagy induced by MTI-31 and increased the cytotoxicity of MTI-31. Western blot also demonstrated that MTI-31-induced autophagy was mediated by the downstream regulators of ERK pathways, including Beclin-1 and Bcl-2. It demonstrated that the MTI-31 mediated activation ERK pathway is associated with the induction of autophagy, and autophagy can attenuate the cytotoxicity of MTI-31 on RCC cells. In summary, inhibition of ERK pathway-mediated autophagy can rectify drug resistance to MTI-31 effectively.

FAK-mediated phosphorylation at Y464 regulates p85ß nuclear translocation to promote tumorigenesis of ccRCC by repressing RB1 expression.

PI3K regulatory subunit p85s normally stabilizes and regulates catalytic subunit p110s in the cytoplasm. Recent studies show that p110-free p85s in the nucleus plays important roles in biological processes. However, the mechanisms by which p85s translocate into the nucleus remain elusive. Here, we describe the mechanism by which p85ß translocates into the nucleus to promote ccRCC tumorigenesis. Phosphorylation of p85ß at the Y464 by FAK facilitates its nuclear translocation in the kidney through enhancing the binding of p85ß to KPNA1. PIK3R2/p85ß is highly expressed in ccRCC samples and associated with overall survival of ccRCC patients. Nuclear but not cytoplasmic p85ß performs oncogenic functions by repressing RB1 expression and regulating the G1/S cell cycle transition. Nuclear p85ß represses RB1 expression by stabilizing histone methyltransferase EZH1/EZH2 proteins. Last, the FAK inhibitor defactinib significantly suppresses the tumor growth of ccRCC with high p85ß Y464 levels.

Development and validation of a risk prediction model for diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients.

To establish a risk prediction model and make individualized assessment for the susceptible diabetic retinopathy (DR) population in type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients. According to the retrieval strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the relevant meta-analyses on DR risk factors were searched and evaluated. The pooled odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) of each risk factor was obtained and calculated for ß coefficients using logistic regression (LR) model. Besides, an electronic patient-reported outcome questionnaire was developed and 60 cases of DR and non-DR T2DM patients were investigated to validate the developed model. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to verify the prediction accuracy of the model. After retrieving, eight meta-analyses with a total of 15,654 cases and 12 risk factors associated with the onset of DR in T2DM, including weight loss surgery, myopia, lipid-lowing drugs, intensive glucose control, course of T2DM, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, hypertension, gender, insulin treatment, residence, and smoking were included for LR modeling. These factors, followed by the respective ß coefficient was bariatric surgery (- 0.942), myopia (- 0.357), lipid-lowering drug follow-up < 3y (- 0.994), lipid-lowering drug follow-up > 3y (- 0.223), course of T2DM (0.174), HbA1c (0.372), fasting plasma glucose (0.223), insulin therapy (0.688), rural residence (0.199), smoking (- 0.083), hypertension (0.405), male (0.548), intensive glycemic control (- 0.400) with constant term α (- 0.949) in the constructed model. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the model in the external validation was 0.912. An application was presented as an example of use. In conclusion, the risk prediction model of DR is developed, which makes individualized assessment for the susceptible DR population feasible and needs to be further verified with large sample size application.

Integrated supercapacitor with self-healing, arbitrary deformability and anti-freezing based on gradient interface structure from electrode to electrolyte.

Flexible supercapacitors have attracted more and more attention because of their promising applications in wearable electronics, however, it is still important to harmonize their mechanical and electrochemical properties for practical applications. In the present work, a seamless transition between polyaniline (PANI) electrode and NH4VO3_FeSO4 dual redox-mediated gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) is presented through in situ formation of gradient interface structure. Multiple physical interactions make the GPE excellent mechanical and self-healing properties. Meanwhile, double role functions of Fe2+ ions greatly relieve the traditional contradiction between mechanical and electrochemical properties of GPE. Moreover, benefiting from the structure and reversible redox reactions of VO3- and Fe2+, the integrated supercapacitor delivers an exceptional specific capacitance of 441.8 mF/cm2, a high energy density of 63.1 µWh/cm2, remarkable cyclic stability. Simultaneously, the gradient structure from PANI electrode to GPE greatly improves the electrode/electrolyte interface compatibility and ion transport, which endows the supercapacitor with stable electrochemical performance. Furthermore, the supercapacitor well-maintains the specific capacitance even at -20 °C with over 89.19 % retention after 6 cutting/healing cycles. The gradient interface structure design will promote the development of high-performance supercapacitor.

Stability of blood eosinophils in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its relationship to clinical outcomes: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The clinical value of blood eosinophils and their stability in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains controversial. There are limited studies on association between the stability of blood eosinophils in acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the stability of blood eosinophils in hospitalized AECOPD and its relationship to clinical outcomes. METHODS: This prospective observational study recruited patients hospitalized with AECOPD from November 2016 to July 2020. The eligible patients were divided into four groups according to their blood eosinophil counts at admission and discharge: persistently < 300 cells/µl (LL), < 300 cells/µl at admission but ≥ 300 cells/µl at discharge (LH), ≥ 300 cells/µl at admission but < 300 cells/µl at discharge (HL), and persistently ≥ 300 cells/µl (HH). Cox hazard analyses were used to study the association between eosinophil changes and exacerbations or mortality. RESULTS: In 530 patients included, 90 (17.0%) had a high blood eosinophil count (BEC) ≥ 300 cells/µl at admission but 32 (35.6%) of them showed a decreased BEC at discharge. The proportions and distribution for group LL, LH, HL, and HH were 381 (71.9%), 59 (11.1%), 32 (6.0%), and 58 (10.9%), respectively. During hospitalization, the LH group had a higher C-reactive protein level, higher rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and higher total cost. The length of hospital stay of the LH group was longer compared with group LL, HL, or HH (P = 0.002, 0.017, and 0.001, respectively). During a follow-up of 12 months, the HH group was associated with a higher risk of moderate-to-severe exacerbations compared to the LL group (hazard ratio 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.30-3.08, P = 0.002). Eosinophil changes had no significant association with mortality at 12 months. Sensitivity analyses in patients without asthma and without use of systemic corticosteroids prior to admission did not alter the results. CONCLUSIONS: More attention should be paid to the LH group when evaluating the short-term prognosis of AECOPD. A persistently high BEC was a risk factor for long-term exacerbations. Eosinophil changes during hospitalization could help to predict outcomes.

Production of extracellular polysaccharides by the medicinal mushroom Trametes trogii (higher Basidiomycetes) in stirred-tank and airlift reactors.

Extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) produced by submerged culture of Trametes trogii exhibit antioxidant and antitumor activities. In this study, mycelial growth and EPS production of T. trogii were investigated using optimal culture conditions (maltose [53.12 g/L] and polypeptone [4.21 g/L] in distilled water) in a 5-L jar fermenter. Maximum biomass growth (10.81 g/L) occurred after 5 days of cultivation, whereas maximal EPS yield (1.86 g/L) was achieved after 5 days in a 5-L stirred-tank reactor. Furthermore, the morphological parameters (i.e., mean diameter, circularity, roughness, and compactness) of the pellets and the viscosity of the broth were characterized. It was proved that the compactness of the pellets were significantly positively correlated with EPS content.

4-(2,5-Dihexyl-oxyphen-yl)benzoic acid.

In the title compound, C(25)H(34)O(4), one n-hexyl chain of the hex-yloxy group adopts a fully extended all-trans conformation, and the other n-hexyl chain displays disorder with site occupancies of 0.470 (3) and 0.530 (3). The dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 44.5 (3)°. In the crystal structure, inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds form dimers via crystallographic inversion centres.

[Studies on chemical constituents in essential oil from wild Atractylodes lancea in dabie mountains].

The chemical constituents in essential oil of wild Atractylodes lancea (Thumb.) DC. from Dabie Mountains were studied. The essential oil was extracted by simultaneous distillation and extraction equipment and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. 49 compounds were identified and they represent 92.49% of the total peak aeras. The extraction method and solvent selection of the essential oil were studied. The oil yields and major constituents from Atractylodes lancea (Thumb.) DC. from Dabie Mountains were contrasted to that had been reported. The results showed that Atractylodes lancea (Thumb.) DC. from Dabie Mountains had more essential oil (10.14%) and there were more constituents in it. The main constituents in the essential oil were hinesol, beta-eudesmol, 1H-cyclopropa (a) naphthalene, 1a,2,3,5,6,7,7a,7b-octaphdro-1,1,7,7a-tetramethyl-, [1aR-(1a. alpha, 7. alpha, 7a. alpha,7b. alpha-)] -and gamma-eudesmol. Both the major constituents and contents were different from that had been reported.