Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of a novel biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles using Rosa roxburghii extract and chitosan: Preparation, characterization, properties, and mechanisms.

Developing efficient and safe antibacterial agents to inhibit pathogens including Physalospora piricola and Staphylococcus aureus is of great importance. Herein, a novel compound composed of Rosa roxburghii procyanidin, chitosan and selenium nanoparticle (RC-SeNP) was bio-synthesized, with the average diameter and zeta potential being 84.56 nm and -25.60 mV, respectively. The inhibition diameter of the RC-SeNP against P. piricola and S. aureus reached 18.67 mm and 13.13 mm, and the maximum scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS reached 96.02% and 98.92%, respectively. Moreover, the RC-SeNP completely inhibited the propagation P. piricola and S. aureus on actual apples, suggesting excellent in vivo antimicrobial capacity. The transcriptome analysis and electron microscope observation indicated that the antibacterial activity would be attributed to adhering to and crack the cell walls as well as damage the cytomembrane and nucleus. Moreover, the RC-SeNP effectively maintained the vitamin C, total acid, and water contents of red bayberry, demonstrating potential application for fruit preservation. At last, the RC-SeNP showed no cell toxicity and trace selenium residual dose (0.03 mg/kg on apple, 0.12 mg/kg on red bayberry). This study would enlighten future development on novel nano-bioantibacterial agents for sustainable agriculture.

Structural Characterization and Anti-Osteoporosis Effects of a Novel Sialoglycopeptide from Tuna Eggs.

Several sialoglycopeptides were isolated from several fish eggs and exerted anti-osteoporosis effects. However, few papers have explored sialoglycopeptide from tuna eggs (T-ES). Here, a novel T-ES was prepared through extraction with KCl solution and subsequent enzymolysis. Pure T-ES was obtained through DEAE-Sepharose ion exchange chromatography and sephacryl S-300 gel filtration chromatography. The T-ES was composed of 14.07% protein, 73.54% hexose, and 8.28% Neu5Ac, with a molecular weight of 9481 Da. The backbone carbohydrate in the T-ES was →4)-ß-D-GlcN-(1→3)-α-D-GalN-(1→3)-ß-D-Glc-(1→2)-α-D-Gal-(1→2)-α-D-Gal-(1→3)-α-D-Man-(1→, with two branches of ß-D-GlcN-(1→ and α-D-GalN-(1→ linking at o-4 in →2,4)-α-D-Gal-(1→. Neu5Ac in the T-ES was linked to the branch of α-D-GlcN-(1→. A peptide chain, Ala-Asp-Asn-Lys-Ser*-Met-Ile that was connected to the carbohydrate chain through O-glycosylation at the -OH of serine. Furthermore, in vitro data revealed that T-ES could remarkably enhance bone density, bone biomechanical properties, and bone microstructure in SAMP mice. The T-ES elevated serum osteogenesis-related markers and reduced bone resorption-related markers in serum and urine. The present study's results demonstrated that T-ES, a novel sialoglycopeptide, showed significant anti-osteoporosis effects, which will accelerate the utilization of T-ES as an alternative marine drug or functional food for anti-osteoporosis.

Structural Characterization and Effects on Insulin Resistance of a Novel Chondroitin Sulfate from Halaelurus burgeri Skin.

Several studies have isolated chondroitin sulphate (CHS) from sharks' jaws or cartilage. However, there has been little research on CHS from shark skin. In the present study, we extracted a novel CHS from Halaelurus burgeri skin, which has a novel chemical structure and bioactivity on improvement in insulin resistance. Results using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR), and methylation analysis showed that the structure of the CHS was [4)-ß-D-GlcpA-(1→3)-ß-D-GlcpNAc-(1→]n with 17.40% of sulfate group concentration. Its molecular weight was 238.35 kDa, and the yield was 17.81%. Experiments on animals showed that this CHS could dramatically decrease body weight, reduce blood glucose and insulin levels, lower lipid concentrations both in the serum and the liver, improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and regulate serum-inflammatory factors. These results demonstrated that the CHS from H. burgeri skin has a positive effect in reducing insulin resistance because of its novel structure, which provides a significant implication for the polysaccharide as a functional food.

The mechanisms and cross-protection of trained innate immunity.

In recent years, the traditional cognition of immunological memory being specific to adaptive immunity has been challenged. Innate immunity can mount enhanced responsiveness upon secondary stimulation, and a phenomenon is termed trained innate immunity. Trained innate immunity is orchestrated by distinct metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming in both circulating myeloid cells and myeloid progenitor cells in bone marrow, leading to long-term resistance to related and non-related pathogens infections. The induction of trained innate immunity can also polarize innate immune cells towards a hyperresponsive phenotype in the tumor microenvironment to exert antitumor effects. This review will discuss the current understanding of innate immune memory and the mechanisms during the induction of innate immunity, including signaling pathways, metabolic changes, and epigenetic rewriting. We also provide an overview of cross-protection against infectious diseases and cancers based on trained innate immunity.

Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Additional Mutations Other than BCR∷ABL in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients: A Chinese Monocentric Retrospective Study.

A proportion of patients with somatic variants show resistance or intolerance to TKI therapy, indicating additional mutations other than BCR∷ABL1 may lead to TKI treatment failure or disease progression. We retrospectively evaluated 151 CML patients receiving TKI therapy and performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of 22 CML patients at diagnosis to explore the mutation spectrum other than BCR∷ABL1 affecting the achievement of molecular responses. The most frequently mutated gene was ASXL1 (40.9%). NOTCH3 and RELN mutations were only carried by subjects failing to achieve a major molecular response (MMR) at 12 months. The distribution frequency of ASXL1 mutations was higher in the group that did not achieve MR4.0 at 36 months (p = 0.023). The achievement of MR4.5 at 12 months was adversely impacted by the presence of >2 gene mutations (p = 0.024). In the analysis of clinical characteristics, hemoglobin concentration (HB) and MMR were independent factors for deep molecular response (DMR), and initial 2GTKI therapy was better than 1GTKI in the achievement of molecular response. For the scoring system, we found the ELTS score was the best for predicting the efficacy of TKI therapy and the Socal score was the best for predicting mutations other than BCR∷ABL.

Dietary supplementation of L-carnitine ameliorates metabolic syndrome independent of trimethylamine N-oxide produced by gut microbes in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a collection of risk factors of serious metabolic diseases. L-Carnitine is an essential nutrient for human health, and the precursor of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Previous studies have shown that the effect of L-carnitine on MS is controversial, and no studies have considered the role of gut microbiota in the regulation of MS by L-carnitine. In the present study, we established a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice model and systematically explored the effect of a broad range of dietary L-carnitine concentrations (0.2% to 4%) on the major components of MS. The results show that L-carnitine (0.5%-4%) reduced HFD-caused body-weight gain, visceral adipose tissue, glucose intolerance, hyperglycemia, HOMA-IR index, hyperlipemia, hypertension, and hyperuricemia. The elevation in the concentrations of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α and decline in IL-10 in both serum and adipose tissue were also attenuated by L-carnitine. Furthermore, dietary L-carnitine increased the serum levels of TMAO produced by gut microbes. High-dose L-carnitine (2% and 4%), but not low-dose L-carnitine (0.2%-1%), notably modulated the composition of gut microbiota and partially attenuated HFD-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis. These results suggest that the ameliorative effect of L-carnitine on MS was independent of TMAO production and only partially related to the regulation of gut microbiota. This study provides crucial evidence for the utilization of L-carnitine as a safe and effective supplement for MS.

Worldwide cancer statistics of adults over 75 years old in 2019: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cancer has become one of the major killers of humanity due to the number of people over the age of 75 increasing with population ageing. The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence and mortality rates in people over 75 of 29 cancer types in 204 countries and regions, as well as the trends from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: Twenty-nine cancer types were collected from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database( https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/ ). We collected global cancer data for 2019 in terms of sex, age, sociodemographic index (SDI), region, etc. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to assess the trend of the cancer incidence and mortality rate from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: In 2019, the number of new cancer cases and deaths among people 75 and older was almost 3 and 4.5 times that of 1990, respectively. From 1990 to 2019, there was a slow rise in incidence and a slight decline in mortality. There were significant differences in the cancer burden based on sex, age, region, and SDI. The cancer burden in men was higher than in women. In addition, the cancer burden varied from region to region. The highest cancer burden occurred in high-income North America. In addition, the higher the SDI was, the greater the burden of cancer. The incidence of cancer in high SDI was approximately seven times that of low SDI, and the trend of increase in high SDI was obvious. However, the trend of mortality in high SDI was decreasing, while it was increasing in low SDI. CONCLUSIONS: The present study focused on the cancer burden in adults over 75 years old. The findings in the study could serve as the basis for an analysis of the types of cancers that are most prevalent in different regions. This is beneficial for strategies of prevention and treatment according to the characteristics of different countries and regions to reduce the burden of cancer in older adults.

Quality improvement of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) during refrigerated storage by application of Maillard peptides/water-soluble chitosan coating.

We investigated the effect of squid Maillard peptides (SMPs) on the shelf life and quality of shrimp for 20 days. Water-soluble chitosan coatings incorporated with SMPs (SMPs + chitosan) were applied to shrimp under chilled conditions. Untreated samples were used as control, along with samples treated with water-soluble chitosan and SMPs alone. The pH increase was observed in all samples, as well as increased total plate count, total volatile basic nitrogen, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid index. However, these indexes in the SMPs + chitosan group were lower than the other three groups, which suggested SMPs + chitosan might play a role in retarding quality loss of shrimp, and there might be a combined effect between water-soluble chitosan and SMPs. Based on hardness, springiness, and sensory evaluation, shrimp coated with SMPs + chitosan was the best preserved, with a shelf life of 16 days but only 8-12 days for other samples. The present work demonstrates the effectiveness of SMPs + chitosan, offering a promising alternative to inhibit microbial growth and lipid oxidation on shrimps during refrigerated storage.

Anti-Obesity and Gut Microbiota Regulation Effects of Phospholipids from the Eggs of Crab, Portunus Trituberculatus, in High Fat Diet-Fed Mice.

There are resourceful phospholipids in the eggs of the crab, Portunus trituberculatus (Pt-PL). However, their components and bioactivities regarding obesity were unclear. Here, we investigated the composition of Pt-PL and their fatty acids. Moreover, its effects on obesity and gut microbiota were also evaluated in high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. The results showed that Pt-PL contained 12 kinds of phospholipids, mainly including phosphatidylcholine (PC, 32.28%), phosphatidylserine (PS, 26.51%), phosphatidic acid (PA, 19.61%), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, 8.81%), and phosphatidylinositol (PI, 7.96%). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) predominated in the fatty acids components of Pt-PL, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Animal experiments demonstrated that Pt-PL significantly alleviated body weight gain, adipose gain, hepatic gain, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid levels in serum and the liver, and systematic inflammation in HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, Pt-PL regulated gut microbiota, especially in a dramatic reduction in the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes at phylum level, as well as significant amelioration in their subordinate categories. Pt-PL reduced fecal lipopolysaccharide and total bile acids, and elevated fecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations, particularly acetate and butyrate. These findings suggest that Pt-PL possesses anti-obesity effects and can alter gut microbiota owing to the abundance of PUFAs. Therefore, Pt-PL may be developed as an effective food supplement for anti-obesity and regulation of human gut health.

Preparation and application of a colorimetric film based on sodium alginate/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose incorporated with rose anthocyanins.

To monitor the freshness of Penaeus vannamei during storage, a colorimetric film based on sodium alginate/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose incorporated with rose anthocyanins extract (RAE) was prepared. The results showed that the incorporation of RAE increased moisture content, water vapor permeability, and water contact angle of the colorimetric film. FTIR, XRD spectra, and SEM demonstrated that RAE had good compatibility with the film-forming substrate. The colorimetric film presented obvious color variation in the pH range of 2.0-12.0 and was sensitive to volatile ammonia. The colorimetric film exhibited a visual color change from pink to pale yellow to yellowish green during the storage of Penaeus vannamei at 4 °C. Significant correlations were observed between the color change of colorimetric film (ΔE) and the pH value or TVB-N content of Penaeus vannamei (p < 0.05). Therefore, the colorimetric film shows great application potential to monitor the freshness of shrimp as intelligent packaging.

Exploring the impact of urban form on urban land use efficiency under low-carbon emission constraints: A case study in China's Yellow River Basin.

In the Urban Anthropocene, how to meet the demands of growing urban populations on limited urban land is a key global challenge. Unreasonable urban planning and land use has brought about undesirable consequences including huge carbon emissions. However, research on the spatial impact of urban form on urban land use efficiency (ULUE) under low-carbon emission constraints is limited. This study analyzes 91 cities located in China's Yellow River Basin (YRB). First, we define a new comprehensive indicator system to measure ULUE under low-carbon constraints using the SBM-UN model. We then select nine landscape indicators to quantify the sprawl, complexity, and aggregation of urban form. Finally, we use Spatial Durbin Model to reveal the relationship between urban form and ULUE. We find that carbon emissions in the YRB increased steadily during the study period. The average value of ULUE increased from 0.469 in 1994 to 0.772 in 2018. Efficiency improved most in the provinces of Shaanxi, Henan, Ningxia, and Shandong, with growth rates of 234.15%, 102.40%, 93.09%, and 66.24%, respectively. Positive global Moran's I indices suggest that the spatial distribution of ULUE is positively correlated at basin level. Moreover, urban form metrics in the YRB demonstrated significant regional differences from 1994 to 2018. The regression results showed irregular urban form can negatively impact ULUE while compact and aggregated urban forms can improve ULUE under low carbon constrains. In addition, there are both positive and negative correlations between urban sprawl and ULUE in different regions. Today's choices on urban form can restrict the development pattern of cities and lock in pathways of carbon emissions in the future. Based on the findings in this study, the government should pursue optimal city sizes, avoid scattered patterns and aim for compact urban form.

Low Molecular Weight, 4-O-Sulfation, and Sulfation at Meta-Fucose Positively Promote the Activities of Sea Cucumber Fucoidans on Improving Insulin Resistance in HFD-Fed Mice.

Fucoidans from sea cucumber (SC-FUC) have been proven to alleviate insulin resistance in several species. However, there are few studies that clarify the relationship between their structure and bioactivity. The present study evaluated the influence of molecular weight (Mw), sulfation concentrations (Cs), and sulfation position on improving insulin resistance using SC-FUC. Results showed that fucoidans with lower Mw exerted stronger effects. Having a similar Mw, Acaudina molpadioides fucoidans (Am-FUC) with lower Cs and Holothuria tubulosa fucoidans with higher Cs showed similar activities. However, Isostichopus badionotus fucoidans (higher Cs) activity was superior to that of low-Mw Thelenota ananas fucoidans (Ta-LFUC, lower Cs). Eliminating the effects of Mw and Cs, the bioactivity of Am-FUC with sulfation at meta-fucose exceeded that of Ta-FUC with sulfation at ortho-position. Moreover, the effects of Pearsonothuria graeffei fucoidans with 4-O-sulfation were superior to those of Am-LFUC with 2-O-sulfation. These data indicate that low Mw, 4-O-sulfation, and sulfation at meta-fucose contributed considerably to insulin resistance alleviation by SC-FUC, which could accelerate the development of SC-FUC as a potential food supplement to alleviate insulin resistance.

Phosphatidylserine from Portunus trituberculatus Eggs Alleviates Insulin Resistance and Alters the Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice.

Portunus trituberculatus eggs contain phospholipids, whose components and bioactivity are unclear. Here, we investigated the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylserine from P. trituberculatus eggs (Pt-PS). Moreover, its effects on insulin resistance and gut microbiota were also evaluated in high-fat-diet-fed mice. Our results showed that Pt-PS accounted for 26.51% of phospholipids and contained abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (more than 50% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)). Animal experiments indicated that Pt-PS significantly decreased body weight and adipose weight gain, improved hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, mitigated insulin resistance, and regulated circulatory cytokines. Pt-PS activated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and increased the levels of IRS1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) protein, and plasma membrane glucose transporter 4 protein. Furthermore, Pt-PS modified the gut microbiota, inducing, especially, a dramatic decrease in the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes at the phylum level, as well as a remarkable improvement in their subordinate categories. Pt-PS also reduced fecal lipopolysaccharide concentration and enhanced fecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations. Additionally, the effects of Pt-PS on alleviation of insulin resistance and regulation of intestinal bacteria were better than those of phosphatidylserine from soybean. These results suggest that Pt-PS mitigates insulin resistance by altering the gut microbiota. Therefore, Pt-PS may be developed as an effective food supplement for the inhibition of insulin resistance and the regulation of human gut health.

Egg oil from Portunus trituberculatus alleviated obesity and regulated gut microbiota in mice.

Egg oil from Portunus trituberculatus (Pt-egg oil) can overcome insulin resistance resulting from abundant bioactive lipids. However, its effects on obesity and gut microbiota were unclear. Here, we evaluated whether Pt-egg oil could improve obesity and gut microbiota or not in high-fat diet feeding mice. Results exhibited that Pt-egg oil markedly reduced body weight and adipose weight gain, improved lipid accumulation and circulatory cytokines, inhibited epididymal adipose cell size. Moreover, Pt-egg oil modified gut microbiota, involving decreases in the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and increase in Verrucomicrobia phylum. Pt-egg oil reduced serum and fecal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels and down-regulated Toll-like receptor 4 pathway in both epididymal adipose and liver tissues. Meanwhile, Pt-egg oil increased short chain fatty acids and up-regulated of G-protein-coupled receptors in both epididymal adipose and liver tissues. These suggest that Pt-egg oil could be alternative food supplement for the prophylactic effects on anti-obesity and improvement in human gut health.

A Novel Electrochemical Sensor Based on Electropolymerized Ion Imprinted PoPD/ERGO Composite for Trace Cd(II) Determination in Water.

A novel electrochemical sensor based on electropolymerized ion imprinted poly (o-phenylenediamine) PoPD/electrochemical reduced graphene (ERGO) composite on glass carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated for selective and sensitive determination of trace Cd(II) in water. ERGO was first deposited on the surface of GCE by electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning to enhance the electron transport activity at electrode surface. The ion imprinted polymer (IIP) of imprinted PoPD was then in situ electropolymerized on ERGO via CV scanning with oPD as functional monomer and Cd(II) ions as template, following removal of the template using electrochemical peroxidation method. The obtained imprinted PoPD/RERGO composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray energy spectroscopy (EDS) for the observation of their morphologies and components. The electrochemical behavior of the imprinted PoPD/ERGO/GCE was performed by CV and SWASV. The fabricated sensor of the imprinted PoPD/ERGO/GCE showed a good selectivity toward target Cd(II) ions in the presence of other heavy metal ions. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the sensor exhibited a good linear relationship between SWASV stripping peak values and Cd(II) concentration in the range of 1 to 50 ng/mL, with the limit of detection as 0.13 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The proposed electrochemical sensor of imprinted PoPD/ERGO/GCE was successfully applied for trace Cd(II) determination in real water samples.

Facile Fabrication of Flower-Like BiOI/BiOCOOH p-n Heterojunctions for Highly Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Removal of Harmful Antibiotics.

Novel heterojunction photocatalysts with remarkable photocatalytic capabilities and durability for degrading recalcitrant contaminants are extremely desired; however, their development still remains quite challenging. In this study, a series of flower-like BiOI/BiOCOOH p-n heterojunctions were fabricated via a controlled in situ anion-exchange process. During the process, BiOI formation and even deposition on BiOCOOH microspheres with tight interfacial contact were realized. As expected, BiOI/BiOCOOH heterojunctions revealed remarkable enhancements in photocatalytic antibiotic degradation capacities under visible light irradiation compared with pristine BiOI and BiOCOOH. The best-performing BiOI/BiOCOOH heterojunction (i.e., IBOCH-2) showed much improved photocatalytic CIP degradation efficiency of approximately 81- and 3.9-fold greater than those of bare BiOI and BiOCOOH, respectively. The eminent photocatalytic performances were due not only to the enhanced capability in harvesting photon energies in visible light regions, but also the accelerated separation of electrons and holes boosted by the p-n heterojunction. Active species trapping tests demonstrated that superoxide free radicals (•O2-) and photo-generated holes (h+) were major active species for CIP degradation. Recycling experiments verified the good durability of BIBO-2 over four runs. The facile in situ synthesis route and excellent performance endow flower-like BiOI/BiOCOOH heterojunctions with a promising potential for actual environmental remediation.

Long-Chain Bases from Sea Cucumber Alleviate Obesity by Modulating Gut Microbiota.

This study evaluated the effects of long-chain bases from sea cucumber (SC-LCBs) on modulation of the gut microbiota and inhibition of obesity in high fat diet-fed mice. Results showed that SC-LCBs exerted significant antiobese effects, which were associated with the inhibition of hyperglycemia and lipid accumulation. SC-LCBs also regulated serum adipocytokines toward to normal levels. SC-LCBs caused significant decreases in Firmicutes, Actinobacteria phylum, and obesity-related bacteria (Desulfovibro, Bifidobacterium, Romboutsia etc. genus). SC-LCBs also elevated Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia phylum, and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria (Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group etc. genus). Moreover, serum and fecal lipoplysaccharide (LPS) concentrations and its dependent toll-line receptor 4 pathway were inhibited by SC-LCBs treatment. SC-LCBs caused increases in fecal SCFAs and their mediated G-protein-coupled receptors proteins. These suggest that SC-LCBs alleviate obesity by altering gut microbiota. Thus, it sought to indicate that SC-LCBs can be developed as food supplement for the obesity control and the human gut health.

In situ construction of WO3 nanoparticles decorated Bi2MoO6 microspheres for boosting photocatalytic degradation of refractory pollutants.

Visible-light-driven (VLD) heterojunction photocatalysts for refractory contaminant degradation have aroused huge interest because of their outstanding photocatalytic performance. From the aspect of practical application, it is important to develop a highly efficient, durable, eco-friendly and inexpensive VLD photocatalyst. Herein, we report a novel VLD WO3/Bi2MoO6 heterojunction photocatalyst with remarkable photocatalytic activity, which was fabricated via an electrospinning-calcination-solvothermal route. The phase, composition, morphologies, and optical properties of WO3/Bi2MoO6 heterojunctions were comprehensively characterized. The photocatalytic performance of WO3/Bi2MoO6 heterojunctions was assessed by the removal of rhodamine (RhB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) under visible light (VL). WO3/Bi2MoO6 heterojunctions displayed superior photocatalytic activities compared to Bi2MoO6, WO3, or the mechanical mixture of WO3 and Bi2MoO6. In particular, the heterojunction material (0.4WB, theoretical molar ratio of WO3/Bi2MoO6 is 0.4/1.0) exhibited the best degradation efficiency (100%) and mineralization rate (52.3%) in 90 min, both of which exceeded the observed rates for Bi2MoO6 by 5.3 and 6.4 times, respectively. Moreover, 0.4WB showed a good durability in eight runs. The optimized photocatalytic property of WO3/Bi2MoO6 can be attributed to enhanced VL absorption and reduced recombination efficiency of carriers owing to the synergistic effects between Bi2MoO6 and WO3. The necessity of direct contact between WO3/Bi2MoO6 and contaminants was experimentally verified. The study on photocatalytic mechanism demonstrates that superoxide free radicals (O2-) and photo-generated hole (h+) are dominantly responsible for the pollutant degradation, as demonstrated by the trapping experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis. Therefore, the WO3/Bi2MoO6 heterojunction holds huge potential to be utilized as a durable and highly active photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.

Anti-inflammation effects of fucosylated chondroitin sulphate from Acaudina molpadioides by altering gut microbiota in obese mice.

This study evaluated the possible prebiotic effects of dietary fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from Acaudina molpadioides (Am-CHS) on the modulation of the gut microbiota and the improvement in the risk factors for chronic inflammation in high fat diet-fed mice. The results showed that the Am-CHS treatment greatly modified the gut microbiota, including the decrease in Bacteroidetes, increase in Firmicutes, elevation in Lactobacillus (intestinal barrier protector) and short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group), and reduction in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) producer (Escherichia coli). This modulation inhibited inflammatory response, manifesting the decreases in circulating proinflammatory cytokines and their mRNA expression, and the increases in interleukin-10. Dietary Am-CHS caused reductions in serum and fecal LPS concentrations and inhibition of transcription of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its downstream proteins. In addition, there were increases in the portal levels of fecal SCFAs, which probably contributed to an increase in the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) protein in Am-CHS-treated mice. These results suggest that modulation of gut microbiota by Am-CHS can improve chronic inflammation by reducing LPS levels and TLR4 signaling. Modulation also appears to increase the levels of fecal SCFAs, which activates AMPK and finally leads to inflammation resistance.