Lactobacillus buchneri S-layer protein-coated liposomes loaded with ß-cyclodextrin-carvacrol inclusion complexes for the enhancement of antibacterial effect.

This article describes the development of a novel liposome nanocarrier system. Carvacrol (Car) is first embedded in ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) by the freeze-drying method to form the ß-cyclodextrin-carvacrol inclusion compound (ß-CD-Car), and then ß-CD-Car liposomes (ß-CD-Car-LPs) and ß-CD-Car liposomes coated with S-layer proteins (SLPs) from Lactobacillus buchneri 20023 (SLP/ß-CD-Car-LPs) were prepared. The liposomes were characterized, and their stabilities, in vitro release characteristics, and antibacterial activities were investigated. Results showed that the fabricated liposome SLP/ß-CD-Car-LPs was nanosized, oval and homogenous, with the particle size of 229.1 ± 6.81 nm, the polydispersity index of 0.139, and the zeta potential of 27.9 mV. Measurements based on Triton X-100 resistance indicated that the SLP-coated liposomes were more stable than naked liposomes. The in vitro release study results showed that the rate of release from SLP-coated liposomes was much lower than that from uncoated liposomes. The minimum inhibitory activity (MIC) of SLP/ß-CD-Car-LPs (0.05 mg/mL) was 6.4 times higher than that of the free carvacrol (0.32 mg/mL) and was twice that of ß-CD-Car-LPs (0.1 mg/mL). In general, the stability, antibacterial activity, and sustained release effect of ß-CD-Car-LPs modified with SLPs were improved. Findings suggested that SLP-coated liposomes could be developed as a favorable delivery system for potential applications in the food industry.

Synthesis of gold-cellobiose nanocomposites for colorimetric measurement of cellobiase activity.

Gold-cellobiose nanocomposites (GCNCs) were synthesized by reducing gold salt with a polysaccharide, cellobiose. Here, cellobiose acted as a controller of nucleation or stabilizer in the formation of gold nanoparticles. The obtained GCNCs were characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy; Zetasizer and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer. Moreover, 6-Mercapto-1-hexanol (MCH) was modified on GCNCs, and the MCH-GCNCs were used to determine the cellobiase activity in compost extracts based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) property of MCH-GCNCs. The degradation of cellobiose on MCH-GCNCs by cellobiase could induce the aggregation, and the SPR absorption wavelength of MCH-GCNCs correspondingly red shifted. Thus, the absorbance ratio of treated MCH-GCNCs (A650/A520) could be used to estimate the cellobiase activity, and the probe exhibited highly sensitive and selective detection of the cellobiase activity with a wide linear from 3.0 to 100.0U L(-1) within 20 min. Meanwhile, a good linear relationship with correlation coefficient of R2=0.9976 was obtained. This approach successfully showed the suitability of gold nanocomposites as a colorimetric sensor for the sensitive and specific enzyme activity detection.

Role of interleukin-22 in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease thought to be mediated by the microbiota of the intestinal lumen and inappropriate immune responses. Aberrant immune responses can cause secretion of harmful cytokines that destroy the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to further inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-22 is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines that was recently discovered to be mainly produced by both adaptive and innate immune cells. Several cytokines and many of the transcriptional factors and T regulatory cells are known to regulate IL-22 expression through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling cascades. This cytokine induces antimicrobial molecules and proliferative and antiapoptotic pathways, which help prevent tissue damage and aid in its repair. All of these processes play a beneficial role in IBD by enhancing intestinal barrier integrity and epithelial innate immunity. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the involvement of IL-22 in the pathogenesis of IBD, as well as its therapeutic potential.

Use of iron oxide nanomaterials in wastewater treatment: a review.

Nowadays there is a continuously increasing worldwide concern for the development of wastewater treatment technologies. The utilization of iron oxide nanomaterials has received much attention due to their unique properties, such as extremely small size, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, surface modifiability, excellent magnetic properties and great biocompatibility. A range of environmental clean-up technologies have been proposed in wastewater treatment which applied iron oxide nanomaterials as nanosorbents and photocatalysts. Moreover, iron oxide based immobilization technology for enhanced removal efficiency tends to be an innovative research point. This review outlined the latest applications of iron oxide nanomaterials in wastewater treatment, and gaps which limited their large-scale field applications. The outlook for potential applications and further challenges, as well as the likely fate of nanomaterials discharged to the environment were discussed.

Oxalate production at different initial Pb²+ concentrations and the influence of oxalate during solid-state fermentation of straw with Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

The production of oxalate at different initial Pb(2+) concentrations during solid-state fermentation of straw with Phanerochaete chrysosporium was investigated. It was found that the maximal peak value of oxalate concentration (22.84 mM) was detected at the initial Pb(2+) concentration of 200 mg kg(-1) dry straw, while the minimum (15.89 mM) at the concentration of 600 mg Pb(2+)kg(-1) dry straw, and at moderate concentration of Pb(2+) the capability of oxalic acid secretion was enhanced. In addition, it was also found that more oxalic acid accumulation went together with better Pb(2+) passivation effect and higher manganese peroxidase (MnP) activity. The present findings will improve the understandings of the interactions of heavy metals with white-rot fungi and the role of oxalate in lignin degradation system, which could provide useful references for more efficient treatment of Pb-contaminated lignocellulosic waste.

Mycelial growth and solid-state fermentation of lignocellulosic waste by white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium under lead stress.

Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant renewable resource difficult to degrade. Its bioconversion plays important roles in carbon cycles in nature, which may be influenced by heavy metals in environment. Mycelial growth and the degradation of lignocellulosic waste by lignin-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium under lead stress were studied. It was shown that P. chrysosporium could grow in liquid media with 400 mg L⁻¹ Pb(II), and mycelial dry weight was reduced by 54% compared to the control. Yellow mycelia in irregular short-strip shape formed in Pb-containing media, whereas the control showed ivory-white regular mycelial pellets. Two possible responses to Pb stress were: dense hyphae, and secretion from mycelia to resist Pb. During solid-state fermentation of straw, fungal colonization capability under Pb stress was positively correlated with the removal efficiency of soluble-exchangeable Pb when its content was higher than 8.2 mg kg⁻¹ dry mass. Carboxymethyl cellulase activity and cellulose degradation were inhibited at different Pb concentrations, whereas low Pb concentrations increased xylanase and ligninolytic enzyme activities and the hemicellulose and lignin degradation. Cluster analyses indicated that Pb had similar effects on the different microbial indexes related to lignin and hemicellulose degradation. The present findings will advance the understandings of lignocellulose degradation by fungi under Pb pollution, which could provide useful references for developing metal-polluted waste biotreatment technology.

[Research on sorption and transport characteristics of ligninolytic enzymes in different compost substances].

To understand the characteristics of ligninolytic enzymes sorption and transport in different compost substances, ligninolytic enzymes adsorption on soil, vegetable leaf, rice straw and chaff was comparatively studied through batch jar tests and relevant kinetics and isotherm equilibrium were discussed as well as a column experiment was performed to study the process of transport. The results showed that the sorption efficiency was depended on the sorts of substances. The adsorptive capacities of soil, vegetable leaf, rice straw and chaff to lignin peroxidase (LiP) were 1.22 U x g(-1), 1.27 U x g(-1), 1.13 U x g(-1), 1.22 U x g(-1) and to manganese peroxidase (MnP) were 5.09 U x g(-1), 4.88 U x g(-1), 4.43 U x g(-1), 3.95 U x g(-1), respectively. Comparing the kinetic models of LiP and MnP adsorption, the pseudo-second-order reaction model (R2 0.973-0.999 7) was the best of the models. Elovich equation was a bit better than pseudo-first-order kinetic which was the worst. The equilibrium data could be fitted well with Langmuir model while it could not satisfied with Freundlich model. The adsorptive saturation of soil, vegetable leaf, rice straw and chaff to LiP were 1.23 U x g(-1), 1.30 U x g(-1), 1.17 U x g(-1), 1.14 U x g(-1) and to MnP were 5.70 U x g(-1), 5.19 U x g(-1), 4.73 U x g(-1), 4.14 U x g(-1). LiP and MnP had good transport capability in straw and chaff to move to the deepest layer of 10 mL while remained in the superficial layers in soil and vegetable leaf.

Changes of microbial population structure related to lignin degradation during lignocellulosic waste composting.

Microbial populations and their relationship to bioconversion during lignocellulosic waste composting were studied by quinone profiling. Nine quinones were observed in the initial composting materials, and 15 quinones were found in compost after 50days of composting. The quinone species Q-9(H2), Q-10 and Q-10(H2) which are indicative of certain fungi appeared at the thermophilic stage but disappeared at the cooling stage. Q-10, indicative of certain fungi, and MK-7, characteristic of certain bacteria, were the predominant quinones during the thermophilic stage and were correlated with lignin degradation at the thermophilic stage. The highest lignin degradation ratio (26%) and good cellulose degradation were found at the cooling stage and were correlated with quinones Q-9, MK-7 and long-chain menaquinones attributed to mesophilic fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes, respectively. The present findings will improve the understandings of microbial dynamics and roles in composting, which could provide useful references for development of composting technology.

[Analysis of the effect of enzymes on microbial community metabolic profiles during composting using biolog method].

The effects of enzymes on organic material degradation and microbial communities metabolic profiles during composting process were studied using Biolog method, and together with cluster analysis and PCA. The results showed that, adding the enzyme solution in the composting could increase the degradation rate of organic material by 4.90%. The microbial community metabolic results of cluster analysis showed that when the enzyme solution was added into the compost, the carbon metabolic capability of intermediate metabolite was improved. The results of PCA indicated that when the enzyme solution was added, microbial communities enhanced the metabolic capability of miscellaneous, polymers, amino acids and amides carbon substrates, which results in the efficient degradation of organic substance. In addition, cluster analysis of each composting phase showed that the effects of the enzymes solution on microbial community metabolism were mainly observed on 6 d and 30 d, which promoted the composting process.

Influence of shengmai capsule on recovery of living capacity in patients after myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of long-term application of Shengmai Capsule (SMC) on recovery of patients after myocardial infarction. METHODS: A total of 120 myocardial infarction patients were: assigned into two groups. Changes of angina pectoris, electrocardiogram (ECG), living capacity and heart function in patients were observed after 6-month treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate in alleviating angina: pectoris was 90.0% and that in improving ECG figure was 93.3% in the treatment group, both were significantly higher than those in the control group, 73.4% and 70.0% respectively (P<0.05). The Karnofsky Performance Status scores of heart function were increased and the Activity of Daily Living scores in living capacity decreased in both groups, but the improvements were better in the treatment group (P<0.01 and P<0.05). The parameters of cardiac function, including cardiac output, stroke volume, cardiac index and ejection fraction, were increased in both groups, but the increments in the treatment group were more significant (P<0.01 or P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term application of SMC could effectively prevent and treat angina pectoris, improve the living capacity and accelerate the recovery of heart function in patients after myocardial infarction.

Effect of Shengmai injection on vascular endothelial and heart functions in patients with coronary heart disease complicated with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Shengmai injection (, SMI) on vascular endothelial and heart functions in coronary heart disease patients complicated with diabetes mellitus (CHD-DM). METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with CHD-DM, their diagnosis confirmed by coronary arteriography, were equally randomized into a control group treated with conventional treatment and a treated group treated with conventional treatment plus SMI. The changes in blood levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and angiotensin II (Ang II), as well as endothelium-dependent vascular dilating function and heart function in the patients were observed before treatment and after the 3-week treatment. RESULTS: After being treated with SMI for 3 weeks, in the treated group, blood level of NO was raised significantly from 69.8 + or - 33.1 micro mol/L to 120.1 + or - 50.8 micro mol/L, and ET-1 was lowered from 70.1 + or - 32.1 ng/L to 46.2 + or - 21.3 ng/L, respectively (P<0.01); that of Ang II was lowered from 81.3 + or - 24.3 ng/L to 50.2 + or - 27.3 ng/L (P<0.01); brachial arterial post-congestion blood flow increasing rate was raised from 389.4 + or - 26.3% to 459.3 + or - 27.8% (P<0.01); and the improvement in heart function as seen through the ejection fraction (EF) was increased from 44 + or - 5% to 68 + or - 6% (P<0.01), all the changes being more significant than those in the control group (all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: SMI can improve not only the endothelial function in CHD-DM patients, but also heart contraction significantly.

[Effect of shengmai injection on hemodynamics in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Shengmai Injection (SMI) on hemodynamics in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and to explore the clinical effect of SMI in treating patients of DCM with heart failure. METHODS: One hundred patients were divided into two groups. In the 50 cases of the treated group, 10 cases with heart function of II degree, 35 of III degree and 5 of IV degree. The corresponding number of cases in the 50 patients of the control group were 10, 36 and 4. Conventional treatment was given to both groups, and SMI was administered to the treated group additionally. The therapeutic effect and the indexes of heart function before and after treatment were determined and compared. RESULTS: In the treated group, treatment showed markedly effective in 22 cases and effective in 20, the total effective rate being 84%, while in the control group, markedly effective in 14 and effective in 16, the total effective rate being 60%, the comparison between the two groups showed significant difference (chi 2 = 7.14, P < 0.01). In the treated group, cardiac output, stroke volume (SV), cardiac index, eject fraction (EF), lefe ventricular minor axis shortened rate, ventricular wall thickened rate were all increased after treatment and system vascular resistance (SVR) decreased significantly (P < 0.05), while in the control group, insignificant change was found in the above-mentioned parameters after treatment (P > 0.05). Comparison between the two groups after treatment showed that EF and SV were obviously higher and SVR obviously lower in the treated group than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: SMI could markedly improve the heart function of patients with DCM. The effect of conventional treatment would be enhanced in combination therapy with SMI.