Probiotics induce intestinal IgA secretion in weanling mice potentially through promoting intestinal APRIL expression and modulating the gut microbiota composition.

Intestinal infections are strongly associated with infant mortality, and intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) is important to protect infants from intestinal infections after weaning. This study aims to screen probiotics that can promote the production of intestinal IgA after weaning and further explore their potential mechanisms of action. In this study, probiotics promoting intestinal IgA production were screened in weanling mouse models. The results showed that oral administration of Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) FL228.1 and Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) FL276.1 significantly enhanced IgA levels in the small intestine and upregulated the expression of a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) and its upstream regulatory factor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Furthermore, B. bifidum FL228.1 upregulated the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, while B. bifidum FL276.1 increased the relative abundance of Marvinbryantia and decreased Mucispirillum, further elevating intestinal IgA levels. In summary, B. bifidum FL228.1 and B. bifidum FL276.1 can induce IgA production in the intestinal tract of weanling mice by promoting intestinal APRIL expression and mediating changes in the gut microbiota, thus playing a significant role in enhancing local intestinal immunity in infants.

Changes of the volatile compounds and odors in one-stage and three-stage infant formulas during their secondary shelf-life.

The odor of infant formula changes due to alterations in its volatile composition during the shelf life. However, there is currently a lack of research on whether the odor changes in infant formula during the secondary shelf life, which refers to the period of repeated opening and usage in daily life. This study used headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-electrostatic orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-Orbitrap-MS) to investigate the volatile composition changes in one-stage and three-stage infant formulas during different stages (0 day, 3 days, and 7 days during the secondary shelf-life, i.e. simulated daily use). A total of 32 volatiles were identified, including nine aldehydes, seven ketones, four alcohols, three furans, two sulfur compounds, two esters, and five terpenoids. Of these, 16 compounds changed significantly in one-stage samples and 23 compounds in three-stage samples within 7 days of the secondary shelf-life. Further the odor of the three-stage infant formula samples was found changed substantially after 3 days of simulated use by using the triangle test. This study highlighted the considerable alterations in volatile compound composition and sensory changes during the simulated daily use and provided valuable insights for consumers in selecting and using infant formula products, as well as a new perspective for enterprises to improve the sensory quality of their products.

Characterization of the odor compounds in human milk by DHS/GC × GC-O-MS: A feasible and efficient method.

Odor analysis of human milk (HM) is often challenging. Here, a new strategy for the analysis of odorants in HM using dynamic headspace sampling combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (DHS/GC × GC-O-MS) was established based on the comparison of different extraction methods and instrument modes. Overall, DHS/GC × GC-O-MS was proved to be able to provide higher extraction efficiency and better analytical results of the odor-active compounds (OACs) in HM, meanwhile, the salt addition during the extraction further promoted the release of the odorants. Twenty key OACs in HM were identified by flavor dilution analysis and odor activity calculation, of which 1-octen-3-one, 2,3-butanedione, (E)-2-nonenal, and nonanal contributed significantly to the odor of HM. In addition, 2,3-pentanedione was detected as a key OAC in HM for the first time. This study provided a powerful analytical strategy for the comprehensive odor analysis of HM.

Analytical Ultracentrifugation-Calibrated Anion-Exchange Chromatography for Sensitive and Intact Determination of Osteopontin in Infant Formula and Dairy Products.

Osteopontin is a crucial protein ingredient that has been applied in fortified dairy products and infant formula. It has great significance to infant gut health and brain development. However, current techniques including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry are still facing the bottleneck of low sensitivity and indirect quantification. Moreover, the unavailable certified commercial OPN standard hinders its accurate quantification. Herein, a novel method of anion-exchange chromatography was established to determine OPN concentration in several dairy matrices. The polarity-reversed capillary isoelectric focusing was utilized to measure the exact isoelectric point (pI) to support method development for OPN separation. Analytical ultracentrifugation was used to calibrate the purity of intact OPN to develop an in-house reference standard. The method showed the merits of limits of detection to 0.04 mg/100 g, relative standard deviation of reproducibility <5% for 13 out of 14 tested matrices, and an average recovery rate of 101.3%. This method has shown the potential to be adopted as an international standard method for the quantification of intact OPN in infant formula and dairy products.

Preparation, characterization, identification, and antioxidant properties of fermented acaí (Euterpe oleracea).

Fermentation technology was used to prepare the acaí (Euterpe oleracea) fermentation liquid. The optimal fermentation parameters included a strain ratio of Lactobacillus paracasei: Leuconostoc mesenteroides: Lactobacillus plantarum = 0.5:1:1.5, a fermentation time of 6 days, and a nitrogen source supplemental level of 2.5%. In optimal conditions, the ORAC value of the fermentation liquid reached the highest value of 273.28 ± 6.55 µmol/L Trolox, which was 55.85% higher than the raw liquid. In addition, the FRAP value of the acaí, as well as its scavenging ability of DPPH, hydroxyl, and ABTS free radicals, increased after fermentation. Furthermore, after fermentation treatment, the microstructure, basic physicochemical composition, amino acid composition, γ-aminobutyric acid, a variety of volatile components, and so on have changed. Therefore, fermentation treatment can significantly improve the nutritional value and flavor of the acaí. This provides a theoretical basis for the comprehensive utilization of acaí.

Sensory Evaluation and Model Prediction of Vacuum-Packed Fresh Corn during Long-Term Storage.

The postharvest shelf life of fresh corn largely depends on the packaging method and storage temperature. This study investigated the effect of vacuum packaging (VP) with high-barrier (HB) or ordinary (OR) nylon/nylon/polypropylene (PP) composite films and the impact of storage temperature (4, 25, and 38 °C) on the shelf life of fresh corn. The sensory quality and color changes of the corn were evaluated, indicating a significant improvement in the glossiness (GL), sourness (SO), and color changes compared to corn packaged using OR films. The results showed that the HB films preserved corn freshness under refrigerated and normal temperature storage conditions, delaying color changes and SO development. A shelf-life model was established based on the Arrhenius equation. The predicted values of the corn at different temperatures were compared with the experimental data, indicating that the model could accurately predict the shelf life. The shelf life observed via sensory evaluation was more than 50% shorter than the results obtained by instrumental measurements. Therefore, sensory evaluation could be applied to determine shelf life and avoid food waste.

USP44 suppresses proliferation and enhances apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells by inactivating the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway via Axin1 deubiquitination.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer death, and its 5-year survival rate remains unsatisfactory. Recent studies have revealed that ubiquitin-specific protease 44 (USP44) is a cancer suppressor or oncogene depending on the type of neoplasm. However, its role in CRC remains unclear. Here, we found that the USP44 expression level was markedly decreased in CRC, and USP44 overexpression inhibited proliferation while enhancing apoptosis in CRC cells, suggesting that USP44 is a cancer suppressor in CRC. We then investigated if USP44 functioned through regulating the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. We found that USP44 overexpression increased the Axin1 protein while decreasing ß-catenin, c-myc, and cyclin D1 proteins, suggesting that USP44 inhibited the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Moreover, we found that two Wnt/ß-catenin activators, LiCl and SKL2001, both attenuated oeUSP44-mediated proliferation and apoptosis in CRC cells. Collectively, these data points indicated that USP44 inhibited proliferation while promoting apoptosis in CRC cells by inhibiting the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Interestingly, we observed that USP44 overexpression did not affect the Axin1 mRNA level. Further study uncovered that USP44 interacted with Axin1 and reduced the ubiquitination of Axin1. Furthermore, Axin1 knock-down abolished the effects of oeUSP44 on proliferation, apoptosis, and Wnt/ß-catenin activity in CRC cells. Taken together, this study demonstrates that USP44 inhibits proliferation while enhancing apoptosis in CRC cells by inactivating the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway via Axin1 deubiquitination. USP44 is a cancer suppressor in CRC and a potential target for CRC therapy.

Pancreas-sparing duodenectomy with regional lymph node dissection for early-stage ampullary carcinoma: A case control study using propensity scoring methods.

AIM: To investigate the outcomes of pancreas-sparing duodenectomy (PSD) with regional lymph node dissection vs pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). METHODS: Between August 2001 and June 2014, 228 patients with early-stage ampullary carcinoma (Amp Ca) underwent surgical treatment (PD, n = 159; PSD with regional lymph node dissection, n = 69). The patients were divided into two groups: the PD group and the PSD group. Propensity scoring methods were used to select patients with similar disease statuses. A total of 138 matched cases, with 69 patients in each group, were included in the final analysis. RESULTS: The median operative time was shorter among the patients in the PSD group (435 min) compared with those in the PD group (481 min, P = 0.048). The median blood loss in the PSD group was significantly less than that in the PD group. The median length of hospital stay was shorter for patients in the PSD group vs the PD group. The incidence of pancreatic fistula was higher among patients in the PD group vs the PSD group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates for patients in the PSD group were 83%, 70%, 44% and 73%, 61%, 39%, respectively, and these values were not different than compared with those in the PD group (P = 0.625). CONCLUSION: PSD with regional lymph node dissection presents an acceptable morbidity in addition to its advantages over PD. PSD may be a safe and feasible alternative to PD in the treatment of early-stage Amp Ca.

[Prevention and medical treatment of deep vein thrombosis in patients with abdominal tumors after the radical operation].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the prevention and treatment experience of deep vein thrombosis in patients with abdominal tumors after standardized resection and lymph node dissection, and to investigate a standard therapeutic measure of thrombosis prevention in these patients. METHODS: The clinical data of 548 patients who received radical operation and standardized lymph node dissection for abdominal tumors from January 2007 to April 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different therapeutic scheme and time, the patients were divided into three groups: Group 1 included 163 cases from January 2007 to March 2008 were treated with compound Danshen injection 0.2 g and low molecular weight dextran 500 ml on the same day of surgery for 7 days; Group 2 included 149 cases from April 2008 to March 2009 were treated with the same regimen as that in Group 1 plus low molecular heparin 40 mg on the same day of surgery for 7 days; Group 3 included 236 cases from April 2009 to April 2010 were treated with the same regimen as that in Group 1 plus low molecular heparin on the third day of surgery for 7 days. The treatment effects and the complications in the three groups were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Sixty-four (39.3%) cases were D-Dimer positive and 15 (9.2%) cases were DVT positive under color Doppler ultrasound examination in Group 1; and those were 38 (25.5%) and 3 (2.0%) in Group 2; and 62 (26.3%) and 6(2.5%) in Group 3. Overall observation, the incidences of thrombosis in Group 2 and 3 were obviously lower than that of Group 1, but there was no significant difference between Group 2 and 3. Earlier use of low molecular heparin would lead to some complications. CONCLUSIONS: It brings better effects in thrombosis prevention by using compound Danshen injection and low molecular weight dextran on the day of surgery, with low molecular heparin on the third day of surgery.