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Trend of biofuel production from microalgal triacylglycerols is enhancing, because this substrate is a good sustainable and advantageous alternative to oil and gas fuel. In the present study, indigenous micro algal isolates were screened from water (n=30) and soil (n=30) samples collected from three districts of Punjab, Pakistan to evaluate their biofuel production potential. The samples were inoculated on BG – 11 agar medium plates by incubating at room temperature of 25°C providing 1000 lux for 16h light cycle followed by 8h of dark cycle for 15 d. Water samples were found to be rich in microalgae and 65.33% microalgae (49 isolates) were isolated from Faisalabad district. On the basis of microscopic morphology microalgal isolates (n=180) were selected and subjected to lipid detection by Nile red staining assay. Nile red positive isolates (n=23) were processed for biochemical (lipid, protein and carbohydrates) characterization. AIN63 isolate showed higher lipids (17.4%) content as detected by micro vanillin assay. Algal isolate AIN128 showed best protein contents (42.91%) detected by Bradford assay and AIN172 isolate showed higher carbohydrate contents (73.83%) as detected by anthrone assay. The selected algal isolates were also analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for confirmation of carbohydrate, protein and lipid analysis. These indigenous algae have the potential for in-vitro biofuel production from agricultural waste. Resumo A tendência de produção de biocombustíveis a partir de triacilgliceróis de microalgas está aumentando, porque esse substrato é uma boa alternativa sustentável e vantajosa ao combustível de petróleo e gás. No presente estudo, isolados de microalgas indígenas foram selecionados de amostras de água (n = 30) e solo (n = 30) coletadas em três distritos de Punjab, Paquistão, para avaliar seu potencial de produção de biocombustíveis. As amostras foram inoculadas em placas de meio BG – 11 agar por incubação em temperatura ambiente de 25°C proporcionando 1000 lux por 16h de ciclo claro seguido de 8h de escuro por 15 dias. As amostras de água foram ricas em microalgas e 65.33% de microalgas (49 isolados) foram isolados do distrito de Faisalabad. Com base na morfologia microscópica, isolados de microalgas (n = 180) foram selecionados e submetidos à detecção de lipídios por ensaio de coloração com vermelho do Nilo. Isolados positivos para vermelho do Nilo (n = 23) foram processados para caracterização bioquímica (lipídica, proteica e de carboidratos). O isolado AIN63 apresentou maior teor de lipídios (17.4%) conforme detectado pelo ensaio de microvanilina. O isolado de alga AIN128 apresentou os melhores teores de proteína (42.91%) detectados pelo ensaio de Bradford, e o isolado AIN172 apresentou maiores teores de carboidratos (73.83%), conforme detectado pelo ensaio de anthrone. Os isolados de algas selecionados também foram analisados por espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR) para confirmação da análise de carboidratos, proteínas e lipídios. Essas algas nativas têm potencial para a produção de biocombustíveis in vitro a partir de resíduos agrícolas.

One of the most common palm pests is the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier. Five artificial diets were evaluated to rear RPW, and to facilitate its behavioral and biological studies. The developmental of R. ferruginus was studied on the tested artificial diets based on primarily composed of sugarcane stem pieces (1st diet; control), sweet pumpkin (2nd diet), ground sugarcane + sweet pumpkin (3rd diet), sweet potato (4th diet) and ground sugarcane + sweet potato (5th diet) under rearing room (28 ± 1 °C and 75 ± 5 RH%) at Faculty of Agriculture in Benha district. The biological aspects, pre-oviposition, oviposition, larval & pupal durations, the longevity of male and female adults and the generation period of R. ferrugineus have all been estimated. Moreover, the impact of these artificial diets on the quantities of total proteins, carbohydrates and lipids were determined in the full-grown larvae. Obtained results showed that the insect manifested the shortest larval and pupal periods and the longest longevity for males and females when rearing of R. ferruginus took place on an artificial diet based on sweet potato as a successful and economical for mass rearing of the red palm weevil under laboratory conditions. Larvae fed on diet 4 (sweet potato) was exhibited the shortest duration (114.80 days), while 1st diet (Sugarcane stem pieces) was recorded the longest period (125.00 ± days). Similarly for pupation and both male and female longevity, the shortest periods resulted from larvae feeding on 4th diet (14.65, 49.40 and 48.0 days, respectively). Contrariwise, the longest pupal period was reported with 5th diet (15.70 days). The highest of eggs hatchability % (96.53%) resulted from the rearing nof R. ferruginus larvae on the 4th diet. Chemical analyses of the full-grown larva were indicated that the highest contents of total carbohydrates (45.57 µg/g), lipids (28.46 µg/g) and proteins (20.01µg/g) were obtained in case of larvae reared on 1st and 4th diets, respectively. Consequently, the development of R. ferruginus stages was slightly lower on both 1st and 4th artificial diets. So that, both of them were a successful and economic artificial diet for RPW development under laboratory conditions. Therefore, this study added valuable alternative ingredients to prepare more practical and economical feeding substrate for weevil rearing to help for proposal of its management and conservation in palm plantations. Resumo Uma das pragas mais comuns das palmeiras é o gorgulho vermelho da palmeira, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier. Cinco dietas artificiais foram avaliadas para criar RPW e facilitar seus estudos comportamentais e biológicos. O desenvolvimento de R. ferruginus foi estudado nas dietas artificiais testadas baseadas principalmente em pedaços de caule de cana-de-açúcar (1ª dieta; controle), abóbora-doce (2ª dieta), cana-de-açúcar + abóbora-doce (3ª dieta), batata-doce (4ª dieta) e cana-de-açúcar moída + batata-doce (5ª dieta) em sala de criação (28 ± 1 °C e 75 ± 5 UR%) na Faculdade de Agricultura do distrito de Benha. Os aspectos biológicos, pré-oviposição, oviposição, durações de larvas e pupas, a longevidade de machos e fêmeas adultos e o período de geração de R. ferrugineus foram todos estimados. Além disso, o impacto dessas dietas artificiais nas quantidades de proteínas totais, carboidratos e lipídios foi determinado nas larvas adultas. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que o inseto manifestou os menores períodos larval e pupal e a maior longevidade para machos e fêmeas quando a criação de R. ferruginus ocorreu em uma dieta artificial à base de batata-doce como uma forma bem-sucedida e econômica para a criação massal do gorgulho vermelho da palmeira em condições de laboratório. Larvas alimentadas com a dieta 4 (batata-doce) foram as que apresentaram a menor duração (114,80 dias), enquanto a 1ª dieta (pedaços de caule de cana-de-açúcar) foi a que apresentou o maior período (125,00 ± dias). Da mesma forma para a pupação e longevidade de machos e fêmeas, os períodos mais curtos resultaram da alimentação das larvas na 4ª dieta (14,65, 49,40 e 48,0 dias, respectivamente). Ao contrário, o período pupal mais longo foi relatado com a 5ª dieta (15,70 dias). A maior porcentagem de eclodibilidade dos ovos (96,53%) resultou da criação de larvas de R. ferruginus na 4ª dieta. As análises químicas das larvas adultas indicaram que os maiores teores de carboidratos totais (45,57 µg/g), lipídios (28,46 µg/g) e proteínas (20,01µg/g) foram obtidos no caso de larvas criadas na 1ª e 4ª dietas, respectivamente. Consequentemente, o desenvolvimento dos estádios de R. ferruginus foi ligeiramente menor tanto na 1ª quanto na 4ª dieta artificial. Assim, ambas foram dietas artificiais bem-sucedida e econômica para o desenvolvimento de RPW em condições de laboratório. Portanto, este estudo adicionou ingredientes alternativos valiosos para preparar substrato alimentar mais prático e econômico para a criação do gorgulho para auxiliar na proposta de seu manejo e conservação em plantações de palmeiras.

Background Recent studies have reported that the associations between dietary carbohydrates and cardiovascular disease (CVD) may depend on the quality, rather than the quantity, of carbohydrates consumed. This study aimed to assess the associations between types and sources of dietary carbohydrates and CVD incidence. A secondary aim was to examine the associations of carbohydrate intakes with triglycerides within lipoprotein subclasses. Methods A total of 110,497 UK Biobank participants with ≥ two (maximum five) 24-h dietary assessments who were free from CVD and diabetes at baseline were included. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regressions were used to estimate risks of incident total CVD (4188 cases), ischaemic heart disease (IHD; 3138) and stroke (1124) by carbohydrate intakes over a median follow-up time of 9.4 years, and the effect of modelled dietary substitutions. The associations of carbohydrate intakes with plasma triglycerides within lipoprotein subclasses as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were examined in 26,095 participants with baseline NMR spectroscopy measurements. Results Total carbohydrate intake was not associated with CVD outcomes. Free sugar intake was positively associated with total CVD (HR; 95% CI per 5% of energy, 1.07;1.03–1.10), IHD (1.06;1.02–1.10), and stroke (1.10;1.04–1.17). Fibre intake was inversely associated with total CVD (HR; 95% CI per 5 g/d, 0.96;0.93–0.99). Modelled isoenergetic substitution of 5% of energy from refined grain starch with wholegrain starch was inversely associated with total CVD (0.94;0.91–0.98) and IHD (0.94;0.90–0.98), and substitution of free sugars with non-free sugars was inversely associated with total CVD (0.95;0.92–0.98) and stroke (0.91;0.86–0.97). Free sugar intake was positively associated with triglycerides within all lipoproteins. Conclusions Higher free sugar intake was associated with higher CVD incidence and higher triglyceride concentrations within all lipoproteins. Higher fibre intake and replacement of refined grain starch and free sugars with wholegrain starch and non-free sugars, respectively, may be protective for incident CVD.

Chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in an increased predisposition to various metabolic problems that can be exacerbated by consuming a diet rich in calories and saturated fat. In addition, gastrointestinal symptoms have been reported after SCI, including intestinal dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. The effects of both diet and SCI on the gut microbiome of adult male Long Evans rats euthanized 16 wk after injury were investigated. The rats were either thoracic spinal contused or received sham procedures. After 12 wk of either a low-fat or high-fat diet, cecal contents were analyzed, revealing significant microbial changes to every taxonomic level below the kingdom level. Shannon α diversity analyses demonstrated a significant difference in diversity between the groups based on the surgical condition of the rats. SCI produced a unique signature of changes in commensal bacteria that were significantly different than Sham. Specific changes in commensal bacteria as a result of diet manipulation had high fidelity with reports in the literature, such as Clostridia, Thiohalorhabdales, and Pseudomonadales. In addition, novel changes in commensal bacteria were identified that are unique dietary influences on SCI. Linear regression analysis on body fat and lean mass showed that a consequence of chronic SCI produces uncoupled associations between some commensal bacteria and body composition. In conclusion, despite tightly controlling the protein content and varying the carbohydrate and fat contents, Sham and SCI rats respond uniquely to diet. These data provide potential direction for therapeutic modulation of the microbiome to improve health and wellness following SCI.

To understand differences in the quality of different conventional japonica rice varieties and variations in metabolites related to rice quality, the quality of three conventional japonica varieties was determined, and the metabolites of the milled rice were investigated using nontargeted metabolomics technology. The results showed that the taste value (TV) of Yangda 4Hao (YD4) was significantly higher than that of Yangda 3Hao (YD3) and Huaidao 5Hao (HD5). The protein content (PC) of HD5 was significantly higher than that of YD3 and YD4. PC was significantly negatively correlated with TV. Ninety-one differential metabolites (59 increased and 32 decreased) were identified between YD3 and HD5. A total of 144 differential metabolites (96 upregulated and 48 downregulated) were identified between YD4 and HD5. A total of 114 differential metabolites (40 increased and 74 decreased) were identified between YD3 and YD4. The metabolites with a high correlation to rice quality were mostly involved in the amino acid metabolism pathway. Amino acid metabolites play an important role in the formation of rice quality. The key metabolites in the synthesis and regulation of metabolic pathways are sucrose, levan, and amylose, which are carbohydrates, and L-glutamine, L-aspartic acid, and L-asparagine, which are amino acid metabolites. It can be seen from this study that the metabolites of sucrose, levan, amylose, L-glutamine, L-aspartic acid, and L-asparagine may be the key metabolites in the quality formation of high-quality rice varieties.

During stem elongation, wheat (Triticum aestivum) increases its stem carbohydrate content before anthesis as a reserve for grain filling. Hydraulic functioning during this mobilization process is not well understood and contradictory results exist on the direct effect of drought on carbohydrate mobilization. In a dedicated experiment, wheat plants were subjected to drought stress during carbohydrate mobilization. Measurements, important to better understand stem physiology, showed some unexpected patterns that could not be explained by our current knowledge on water transport. Traditional water flow and storage models failed to properly describe the drought response in wheat stems during carbohydrate mobilization. To explain the measured patterns, hypotheses were formulated and integrated in a dedicated model for wheat. The new mechanistic model simulates two hypothetical water storage compartments: one where water is quickly exchanged with the xylem and one that contains the carbohydrate storage. Water exchange between these compartments is turgor-driven. The model was able to simulate the measured increase in stored carbohydrate concentrations with a decrease in water content and stem diameter. Calibration of the model showed the importance of turgor-driven apoplastic water flow during carbohydrate mobilization. This resulted in an increase in stem hydraulic capacitance, which became more important under drought stress.

Macroalgae are a promising feedstock for several industries due to their large content of proteins and carbohydrates and the high biomass productivities. A novel extraction and fractionation concept based on ionic liquids (ILs) using Ulva lactuca as model organism is presented. Biomolecules are first extracted by means of IL-assisted mechanical shear, followed by two-phase partitioning or ultrafiltration in order to fractionate proteins and carbohydrates and to recover the IL. Ethyl methyl imidazolium dibutyl phosphate ([Emim][DBP]) is strongly selective to proteins, leading to extraction yields up to 80.4% for proteins and 30.7% for carbohydrates. The complete process, including extraction and ultrafiltration, allowed protein recovery of up to 64.6 and 15.4% of the carbohydrates in the retentate phase, while a maximum of 85.7% of the IL was recovered in the permeate phase. The native structure of the extracted proteins was preserved during extraction and fractionation as shown by gel electrophoresis. Selective extraction of proteins from macroalgae under non-denaturing conditions using ILs followed by the recovery of IL using ultrafiltration is for the first time reported. The proposed extraction-fractionation approach is simple and can be potentially applied for the biorefinery of macroalgae at the commercial scale.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is caused by alcohol abuse and can progress to hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous studies suggested that

Wood burning contributes to indoor and ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Here, we present an integrated methodology that allows to generate, sample, and characterize wood smoke derived from different moisture contents and representative combustion conditions using pine wood as a model. Flaming, smoldering, and incomplete combustion were assessed for low-moisture pine, whereas both low-moisture pine and high-moisture pine were investigated under flaming conditions. Real-time monitoring of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and aerosol number concentration/size in wood smoke was performed. The PM was size-fractionated, sampled, and characterized for elemental/organic carbon, organic functional groups, and inorganic elements. Bioactivity of PM was assessed by measuring the sterile alpha motif (SAM) pointed domain containing ETS (E-twenty-six) transcription factor (SPDEF) gene promoter activity in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293T) cells, a biomarker for mucin gene expression. Findings showed that moisture content and combustion condition significantly affected the organic and inorganic elemental composition of PM

Molecular dynamic simulations are an effective tool to study complex molecular systems and are contingent upon the availability of an accurate and reliable molecular mechanics force field. The Drude polarizable force field, which allows for the explicit treatment of electronic polarization in a computationally efficient fashion, has been shown to reproduce experimental properties that were difficult or impossible to reproduce with the CHARMM additive force field, including peptide folding cooperativity, RNA hairpin structures, and DNA base flipping. Glycoproteins are essential components of glycoconjugate vaccines, antibodies, and many pharmaceutically important molecules, and an accurate polarizable force field that includes compatibility between the protein and carbohydrate aspect of the force field is essential to study these types of systems. In this work, we present an extension of the Drude polarizable force field to glycoproteins, including both N- and O-linked species. Parameter optimization focused on the dihedral terms using a reweighting protocol targeting NMR solution

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of two levels of soybean hulls (0 and 400.1 g/kg) and whole or ground corn in the diet of newborn crossbred dairy male calves on intake, performance, blood indicators, and feeding cost. Twenty-eight calves with an average weight of 33.0±6.2 kg and four days of age were distributed into four treatment groups in a completely randomized design (n = 7) for 56 days. Weekly samples of feed, diets, and leftovers were collected to determine dry matter and nutrient intakes. To evaluate apparent digestibility, samples were taken using titanium dioxide as a maker. Blood samples were also collected to evaluate blood indicators. The inclusion of soybean hulls resulted in greater neutral detergent fiber intake by the calves, but reduced their non-fibrous carbohydrates intake, which was also reduced by the use of whole corn in the diet. Although the total digestible nutrients content of diets decreased with the use of whole corn and inclusion of soybean hulls, its intake did not vary (0.75 kg/d), regardless of the factors analyzed. The apparent digestibilities of dry matter (0.87 kg/kg) and crude protein (0.89 kg/kg) were similar, resulting in similar performance between the animals, regardless of the factors analyzed. In the quantities evaluated, the use of soybean hulls or whole corn did not affect blood indicators and was insufficient to reduce feed costs; the cost of daily feed was $2.06, while the cost per kilogram of gain was $3.74. The inclusion of up to 400.1 g/kg of soybean hulls or the replacement of ground corn with whole corn does not affect the performance of crossbred dairy calves during the preweaning period, demonstrating that both can be used in animal feed during this phase of production.

We investigated the spatio-temporal variations in three key biomolecular compounds (carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) in particulate organic matter (POM) in the Yellow Sea (YS), South Sea of Korea (SS), East China Sea (ECS), and East Sea (Sea of Japan; ES) in order to estimate the regional annual calorie production rates based on the seasonal data obtained in each region. Carbohydrates were found to be most dominant, followed by lipids across all seas. The euphotic-integral calorie contents of POM during the study period were determined as 53.5 ± 12.6 Kcal m−2 in the YS; 54.2 ± 7.5 Kcal m−2 in the SS; 35.7 ± 9.2 Kcal m−2 in the ECS; and 58.7 ± 6.2 Kcal m−2 in the ES. Utilizing seasonal carbon conversion factors and primary production rates, we estimated the annual calorie productions, which were highest in the ES (1705 Kcal m−2 y−1) and lowest in the ECS (403 Kcal m−2 y−1). This can be attributed to the significantly higher energy efficiency of phytoplankton and faster turnover rate of calorie content. However, caution must be taken when comparing these estimates regionally, considering potential variations in developmental phases among the four regions during the sampling period in 2018. The calorie production rates in this study provide valuable insights into the physiological condition of phytoplankton within specific regions.

Imunski sistem ščiti telo pred okužbami, boleznimi in škodljivimi snovmi, kot so virusi, bakterije in paraziti ter ohranja ravnovesje med obrambo telesa in preprečevanjem prekomernega vnetja ali avtoimunskih odzivov. To doseže z zaznavanjem in nevtraliziranjem patogenov ter nadzorovanjem popravila tkiv in celjenja. Prehranska podpora imunskemu sistemu je ključnega pomena za vzdrževanje optimalnega zdravja in preprečevanje bolezni. Osredotočanje na makrohranila, kot so beljakovine, ogljikovi hidrati in maščobe, pomaga zagotavljati temelje uravnotežene prehrane, ki podpira imunsko funkcijo. Beljakovine igrajo pomembno vlogo pri podpori imunskega sistema, saj so osnovna gradbena enota za rast in obnovo tkiv ter proizvodnjo protiteles in imunskih celic. Uživanje kakovostnih virov beljakovin, kot so pusto meso, ribe, mlečni izdelki, stročnice in oreščki, zagotavlja esencialne aminokisline, ki so potrebne za vzdrževanje zdravega imunskega sistema. Ogljikovi hidrati so glavni vir energije za imunske celice, ki se borijo proti okužbam. Dobra prehranska izbira ogljikovih hidratov vključujejo živila z visoko vsebnostjo vlaknin, kot so polnozrnate žitarice, stročnice, sadje in zelenjava. Prehranske vlaknine prispevajo k zdravju črevesja, ki je pomemben dejavnik pri podpori imunske funkcije, saj je velik del imunskega sistema lociran v črevesju. Maščobe, zlasti nenasičene maščobne kisline, igrajo pomembno vlogo pri uravnavanju imunskega odziva in zmanjševanju vnetja. Omega-3 in omega-6 maščobne kisline, ki jih najdemo v mastnih ribah, oreščkih, semenih in rastlinskih oljih, so bistvene za delovanje imunskih celic in tvorbo protivnetnih spojin. Vzdrževanje uravnotežene prehrane, bogate s kakovostnimi beljakovinami, kompleksnimi ogljikovimi hidrati in zdravimi maščobami, je ključnega pomena za optimalno delovanje imunskega sistema in ohranjanje splošnega zdravja. The immune system protects the body from infections, diseases, and harmful substances such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, and maintains a balance between the body's defense and preventing excessive inflammation or autoimmune responses. It achieves this by detecting and neutralizing pathogens and controlling tissue repair and healing. Nutritional support for the immune system is essential for maintaining optimal health and preventing disease. Focusing on macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats helps provide the foundation for a balanced diet that supports immune function. Proteins play an important role in supporting the immune system, as they are the basic building block for growth and tissue repair and the production of antibodies and immune cells. Consuming quality protein sources such as lean meat, fish, dairy products, legumes, and nuts, provides essential amino acids needed to maintain a healthy immune system. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for immune cells fighting infections. Good dietary choices for carbohydrates include high-fiber foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Dietary fiber contributes to gut health, which is an important factor in supporting immune function, as a large part of the immune system is located in the gut. Fats, especially unsaturated fatty acids, play an important role in regulating the immune response and reducing inflammation. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, are essential fort he functioning of immune cells and the formation o fanti-inflammatory compounds. Maintaining a balanced diet rich in quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats is essential for optimal immune system function and overall health.

Chronic low-grade inflammation is an underlying risk factor for numerous chronic diseases, including cancer. Eating earlier in the day has been associated with a reduction in levels of inflammatory markers and inflammation-related health outcomes (e.g., obesity, metabolic disorders). This cross-sectional study of 249 obese African-American women examined the effect of various mealtime-related factors associated with macronutrient consumption in relation to chronic inflammation and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RAD) readings. During 2011 and 2013, a single 24-hour dietary recall was administered, blood samples were assayed for c-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and BI-RAD ratings were assessed to determine the influence of mealtime on chronic inflammation and breast cancer risk score. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess these relationships. Higher carbohydrate consumption at breakfast was associated with a significantly lower CRP vs. higher carbohydrate consumption at dinner (6.99, vs. 9.56 mg/L, respectively, p = 0.03). Additionally, every 1-unit increase in percent energy consumed after 5PM resulted in a BI-RAD reading indicating a possibly suspicious abnormality (OR: 1.053, 95% CI: 1.003–1.105), suggesting an increase in breast cancer risk. Timing of energy and macronutrient intake may have important implications for reducing the risk of diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Dietary carbohydrates and fats are intrinsically correlated within the habitual diet. We aimed to disentangle the associations of starch and sucrose from those of fat, in relation to allergic sensitization, asthma and rhinoconjuctivitis prevalence in humans, and to investigate underlying mechanisms using murine models. METHODS: Epidemiological data from participants of two German birth cohorts (age 15) were used in logistic regression analyses testing cross-sectional associations of starch and sucrose (and their main dietary sources) with aeroallergen sensitization, asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, adjusting for correlated fats (saturated, monounsaturated, omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated) and other covariates. For mechanistic insights, murine models of aeroallergen-induced allergic airway inflammation (AAI) fed with a low-fat-high-sucrose or -high-starch versus a high-fat diet were used to characterize and quantify disease development. Metabolic and physiologic parameters were used to track outcomes of dietary interventions and cellular and molecular responses to monitor the development of AAI. Oxidative stress biomarkers were measured in murine sera or lung homogenates. RESULTS: We demonstrate a direct association of dietary sucrose with asthma prevalence in males, while starch was associated with higher asthma prevalence in females. In mice, high-carbohydrate feeding, despite scant metabolic effects, aggravated AAI compared to high-fat in both sexes, as displayed by humoral response, mucus hypersecretion, lung inflammatory cell infiltration and TH 2-TH 17 profiles. Compared to high-fat, high-carbohydrate intake was associated with increased pulmonary oxidative stress, signals of metabolic switch to glycolysis and decreased systemic anti-oxidative capacity. CONCLUSION: High consumption of digestible carbohydrates is associated with increased prevalence of asthma in humans and aggravated lung allergic inflammation in mice, involving oxidative stress-related mechanisms.

Sugar content is an important factor determining the flavor in apple fruit. Sugar unloading is a prerequisite step for sugar accumulation. However, little is known about sugar unloading mechanisms in apple. Transcriptomic sequencing of two apple varieties, "Envy" and "Pacific Rose," with significantly different sugar content was performed.

Patients diagnosed with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma often experience early recurrence even after upfront R0 resection. This study aimed to define early recurrence and identify preoperative risk factors for early recurrence after upfront pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head.This multicenter, retrospective study involved 500 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head at 10 institutions between 2007 and 2016. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinicopathological results were compared between early and non-early recurrence groups. Predictors of early recurrence were determined using statistical analyses.Log-rank tests revealed a significant difference (P.001) between recurrence within 3 to 6 months and 6 to 9 months. Early recurrence was subsequently defined as recurrence within 6 months. Patients were categorized into early recurrence (n = 104) and non-early recurrence groups (n = 389). The median overall survival of the early and non-early recurrence groups was 8.6 months and 42.6 months (P.001), respectively. Preoperatively, high carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels ≥120 U/mL, retroperitoneal invasion, and diabetes mellitus were identified as independent predictive risk factors for early recurrence according to multivariate analysis. Comparing survival rates among patients with 3, 2, 1, or none of these factors, the median overall survival was 17.6 (n = 90), 21.2 (n = 184), 47 (n = 141), and 61.5 (n = 73) months, respectively.The optimal period that defines the early recurrence for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head is 6 months. Tumor size ≥20 mm, preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels ≥120 U/mL, retroperitoneal invasion of the tumor, and the presence of diabetes mellitus are independently associated with early recurrence.

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose early since tumor markers have low sensitivity and specificity. We simultaneously measured serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, pancreatic elastase-1, lipase, and amylase, and evaluated the accuracy of a single marker or a combination of two, three, or four markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Seventy-six patients with PDAC were included, and 75 patients with non-PDAC diseases were enrolled as the control group. Blood specimens were collected and analyzed for pancreatic elatase-1, CA19-9, amylase and lipase. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for each individual marker and in combination were determined.In PDAC subjects, abnormal CA19-9 was seen most frequently at 80.3%, followed by pancreatic elastase-1 at 57.9%, lipase at 53.9%, and amylase at 51.3%. In non-PDAC subjects, the percentage of abnormal serum pancreatic elastase-1, CA19-9, lipase, and amylase were 50.7%, 41.3%, 40.0%, and 28.0%, respectively. The accuracy rate of amylase and CA19-9 results combined was 64.9% and was higher than the combination of other markers in the intersection set. In the union set, the group of amylase and CA19-9 combined and the group of lipase and CA19-9 combined had the highest accuracy at 66.2%. In the intersection and union set, the area under the curve of CA19-9 was the highest at 0.695.CA19-9 as a single marker is the most accurate in the clinical diagnosis of PDAC. Combination of lipase, amylase, or pancreatic elastase-1 results does not significantly increase the accuracy of PDAC diagnosis.

Studies demonstrate that caloric restriction in the first seven days in the ICU is safe. The amount of protein that should be delivered, however, is still unclear with clinical trials suggesting mixed results. Despite some capacity to customize the delivery of protein using supplemental modules, protein delivered is best determined by the concentration of protein contained in enteral formula (EF) ordered. This fact provides an opportunity to explore the potential clinical effects of protein delivery and lower carbohydrate intake on clinical outcomes compared with conventional enteral formulas.Retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes according to the amount of protein delivered in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units at Geisinger Health System.2000 encounters (1899 patients) in patients on enteral nutrition were divided into three groups receiving EF with either ≤20% protein (standard formula - SF), 21-25% protein (high protein - HP) or 25% protein (VHP). Protein intake increased up to day 7 (p 0.0001). Patients on VHP received more protein than other groups (p 0.0001). Multivariable regression analysis showed no evidence of harm. In fact, we observed increased mortality with SF and HP formulas at 30-days post-discharge when compared to patients on VHP even when the effects of other variables (including age, BMI, sex, primary diagnosis, diabetes, history of dialysis, ICU days kept NPO) were taken into consideration.Increasing protein intake while reducing carbohydrate intake appears to be safe. Further research aimed at defining a causative effect of increasing protein delivery while reducing carbohydrate load on outcomes is warranted.

Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are important from the perspective of the anti-depolymerization barrier of lignocellulosic biomass, as it limits the high-value utilization of lignocellulosic biomass resources. In this study, the unit structure of lignin in the LCC has been investigated in depth. Oxidation of a selective lignin unit by chlorine dioxide revealed that the LCC structures are enriched with xylanase-macroporous resins, and the structure that was not oxidized in LCC was also identified. At a chlorine dioxide concentration of 90.93 mg/L, 1 g of LCC lignin is oxidized by 0.7 g chlorine dioxide. The purified residual hemicellulose lignin was mainly H-type. The β-O-4' signal was the strongest for the bond between lignin and carbohydrates. Therefore, it is speculated that most of the residual lignin in bamboo-alkali hemicellulose exists in the form of non-phenolic structural units. This study provides a reference for further studies on the specific structures of LCC.

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of early high-carbohydrate stimulus on glucose metabolism in zebrafish (Danio rerio) over two generations and explore the mechanisms that explain those nutritional programming effects via epigenetic modifications. The larvae were delivered a high-carbohydrate diet (53.66%) that was used as an early nutritional stimulus from the first feeding to the end of the yolk sac (FF) and 5 days after yolk-sac exhaustion (YE). The larvae (F0) and their offspring (F1) were then both fed the control diet (22.69%) until adulthood (15 weeks), and they were challenged with a high-carbohydrate diet (35.36%) at the 16th week. The results indicated that early stimulus immediately raised the mRNA levels of genes involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. At the end of F0 challenge, both treatment groups decreased the plasma glucose levels, increased the expression levels of glucokinase (gck), and inhibited the mRNA during gluconeogenesis. When challenged in F1, the glucose levels were lower in FF (F1), and the mRNA levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (pck1) were decreased in FF (F1) and YE (F1). Besides, in both experimental groups (F0 and F1), the CpG island of pck1 maintained lower levels of hypermethylated expression from F0 adult, 24 h post-fertilization embryo, to F1 adult. In conclusion, these results indicated that an early high-carbohydrate stimulus could significantly reprogram glucose metabolism in adult zebrafish, that those modifications could be partially transmitted to the next generation, and that the DNA methylation of pck1 might work as a stable epigenetic marker to contribute to those processes.

The gut microbiota comprises hundreds of species with a composition shaped by the available glycans. The well-studied starch utilization system (Sus) is a prototype for glycan uptake in the human gut bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt). Each Sus-like system includes outer-membrane proteins, which translocate glycan into the periplasm, and one or more cell-surface glycoside hydrolases, which break down a specific (cognate) polymer substrate. Although the molecular mechanisms of the Sus system are known, how the Sus and Sus-like proteins cooperate remains elusive. Previously, we used single-molecule and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy to show that SusG is mobile on the outer membrane and slows down in the presence of starch. Here, we compare the dynamics of three glycoside hydrolases: SusG, Bt4668, and Bt1760, which target starch, galactan, and levan, respectively. We characterized the diffusion of each surface hydrolase in the presence of its cognate glycan and found that all three enzymes are mostly immobile in the presence of the polysaccharide, consistent with carbohydrate binding. Moreover, experiments in glucose versus oligosaccharides suggest that the enzyme dynamics depend on their expression level. Furthermore, we characterized enzyme diffusion in a mixture of glycans and found that noncognate polysaccharides modify the dynamics of SusG and Bt1760 but not Bt4668. We investigated these systems with polysaccharide mixtures and genetic knockouts and found that noncognate polysaccharides modify hydrolase dynamics through some combination of nonspecific protein interactions and downregulation of the hydrolase. Overall, these experiments extend our understanding of how Sus-like lipoprotein dynamics can be modified by changing carbohydrate conditions and the expression level of the enzyme.

Improving outcomes for cancer patients during treatment and monitoring for cancer recurrence requires personalized care which can only be achieved through regular surveillance for biomarkers. Unfortunately, routine detection for blood-based biomarkers is cost-prohibitive using currently specialized laboratories. Using a rapid self-assembly sensing interface amenable to methods of mass production, we demonstrate the ability to detect and quantify a small carbohydrate-based cancer biomarker, Tn antigen (αGalNAc-Ser/Thr) in a small volume of blood, using a test format strip reminiscent of a blood glucose test. The detection of Tn antigen at picomolar levels is achieved through a new transduction mechanism based on the impact of Tn antigen interactions on the molecular dynamic motion of a lectin cross-linked lubricin antifouling brush. In tests performed on retrospective blood plasma samples from patients presenting three different tumor types, differentiation between healthy and diseased patients was achieved, highlighting the clinical potential for cancer monitoring.

We took advantage of the European 2018 drought and assessed the mechanisms causing differences in drought vulnerability among mature individuals of nine co-occurring tree species at the Swiss Canopy Crane II site in Switzerland. Throughout the drought we monitored leaf water status and determined native embolism formation in the canopy of the trees as indicators of drought vulnerability. We also determined hydraulic vulnerability thresholds (Ψ

In our study, two high efficiency cellulose degrading strains were screened, isolated and identified as Cochliobolus kusanoi and Aspergillus puulaauensis by 18S rDNA gene sequencing. In addition, the composite microbial system was constructed to develop the synergistic effect among different strains. Under the optimum conditions, the yield of soluble dietary fiber from tea residues by mixed fermentation method (MF-SDF) dramatically increased compared to single strain fermentation. The structural analysis demonstrated that all samples possessed the representative infrared absorption peaks of polysaccharides, whereas MF-SDF revealed more loose structure, lower crystallinity and smaller molecular size. For the adsorption capacities indexes, MF-SDF also owned the highest adsorbing capacity for the water molecule, oil molecule, cholesterol molecule and nitrite ion. Overall, our data showed that mixed fermentation method could be better choices to improve the functional properties of dietary fiber, and screening of cellulose degrading strains could provide new thinkings for the study of dietary fiber modification and realize high-quality utilization of crop residues.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy requiring efficient detection when the primary tumor is still resectable. We previously developed the MxPancreasScore comprising 9 analytes and serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), achieving an accuracy of 90.6%. The necessity for 5 different analytical platforms and multiple analytical runs, however, hindered clinical applicability. We therefore aimed to develop a simpler single-analytical run, single-platform diagnostic signature.We evaluated 941 patients (PDAC, 356; chronic pancreatitis [CP], 304; nonpancreatic disease, 281) in 3 multicenter independent tests, and identification (ID) and validation cohort 1 (VD1) and 2 (VD2) were evaluated. Targeted quantitative plasma metabolite analysis was performed on a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry platform. A machine learning-aided algorithm identified an improved (i-Metabolic) and minimalistic metabolic (m-Metabolic) signatures, and compared them for performance.The i-Metabolic Signature, (12 analytes plus CA19-9) distinguished PDAC from CP with area under the curve (95% confidence interval) of 97.2% (97.1%-97.3%), 93.5% (93.4%-93.7%), and 92.2% (92.1%-92.3%) in the ID, VD1, and VD2 cohorts, respectively. In the VD2 cohort, the m-Metabolic signature (4 analytes plus CA19-9) discriminated PDAC from CP with a sensitivity of 77.3% and specificity of 89.6%, with an overall accuracy of 82.4%. For the subset of 45 patients with PDAC with resectable stages IA-IIB tumors, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 73.2%, 89.6%, and 82.7%, respectively; for those with detectable CA19-92 U/mL, 81.6%, 88.7%, and 84.5%, respectively; and for those with CA19-937 U/mL, 39.7%, 94.1%, and 76.3%, respectively.The single-platform, single-run, m-Metabolic signature of just 4 metabolites used in combination with serum CA19-9 levels is an innovative accurate diagnostic tool for PDAC at the time of clinical presentation, warranting further large-scale evaluation.

The protein and carbohydrate composition of formula fed infants' diets in the United States (US) has not been described. The aims of this study were to characterize these dietary exposures in infant formula purchased in the US and to estimate the proportion of formula purchased which is hypoallergenic or lactose-reduced formula.Powdered infant formula purchase data from all major physical stores in the US prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, between 2017 and 2019, were obtained from Information Resources, Inc. Protein and carbohydrate composition and scoop sizes for each formula were obtained from manufacturers. Ready to feed liquid products, products for premature infants and products for over 1 year old were not included.Total volumes of term formula purchased were 216 million kg of formula powder (equivalent to 1.65 billion litres) over 3 years. Intact protein formula was 67.9% of formula purchased, 26.6% was partially hydrolysed and 5.5% was hypoallergenic (5.2% extensively hydrolysed protein; 0.3% amino acid based). Soy protein formula represented 5.1% of formula purchased. Carbohydrate content overall was 52.7% lactose, 42.3% glucose polymers and 5.0% sucrose. 23.7% of formula purchased included sucrose as a carbohydrate. Of all formula purchased, 59.0% was lactose reduced, containing a non-lactose carbohydrate. Of 'standard' formula, defined as intact protein, non-thickened, cow's milk formula, 32.3% was lactose reduced. The proportion of hypoallergenic formula purchased significantly exceeded the prevalence of cow's milk protein allergy and increased over the 3-year study period from 4.9% to 7.6% of all formula sold.US infants are exposed to unnecessarily high levels of non-lactose carbohydrates and hypoallergenic formula, and this may represent a significant nutritional health risk.

Non-invasive techniques are needed to enable an integrated understanding of plant metabolic responses to environmental stresses. Raman spectroscopy is one such technique, allowing non-destructive chemical characterisation of samples in situ and in vivo and resolving the chemical composition of plant material at scales from microns to metres. Here, we review Raman band assignments of pigments, structural and non-structural carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and secondary metabolites in plant material and consider opportunities this technology raises for studies in vascular plant physiology.

Oligosaccharides, either as such or as part of glycolipids, glycopeptides, or glycoproteins, are ubiquitous in nature and fulfill important roles in the living cell. Also in medicine and to some extent in materials, oligosaccharides play an important role. In order to study their function, modifying naturally occurring oligosaccharides, and building in reactive groups and reporter groups in oligosaccharides, are key strategies. The development of oligosaccharides as drugs, or vaccines, requires the introduction of subtle modifications in the structure of oligosaccharides to optimize efficacy and, in the case of antibiotics, circumvent bacterial resistance. Provided the natural oligosaccharide is available, site-selective modification is an attractive approach as total synthesis of the target is often very laborious. Researchers in catalysis areas, such as transition-metal catalysis, enzyme catalysis, organocatalysis, and photoredox catalysis, have made considerable progress in the development of site-selective and late-stage modification methods for mono- and oligosaccharides. It is foreseen that the fields of enzymatic modification of glycans and the chemical modification of (oligo)saccharides will approach and potentially meet each other, but there is a lot to learn and discover before this will be the case.

Aims The aim was to isolate a neotype bifidobacteria strain and evaluate its in vitro probiotic potential. Methods and Results Bifidobacterium pseudolongum YY-26 (CGMCC 24310) was isolated from faeces of mice treated with low-molecular-weight hydrolyzed guar gum (GMPS) and identified based on 16S rRNA sequence and genome sequence. Whole-genome sequencing obtained using PacBio's single-molecular and Illumina's paired-end sequencing technology. A genome of 2.1 Mb in length, with 1877 predicted protein-coding sequences was obtained. Carbohydrate-Activity enZyme analysis revealed that YY-26 encodes 66 enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism. Whole genome sequence analysis revealed the typical probiotic characteristics of YY-26, including safety in genetic level and ability to produce beneficial metabolites and extracellular polysaccharides. Ability of extensive carbon source utilization and short-chain fatty acid production was observed with single YY-26 cultivation. Considerable acetic acids and lactic acids were determined in GMPS utilization. YY-26 showed tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal tract and displayed appreciable antioxidant activity of free radical scavenging. Conclusions B. pseudolongum YY-26 was identified with numerous probiotic-associated genes and its probiotic characteristics were verified in vitro. Significance and Impact of Study This study supplemented with limited publicly information regarding the genomes of B. pseudolongum strains and revealed the probiotic potential of YY-26.

There is a gap in data on dietary intake of adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Traditional methods for dietary assessment are resource intensive and lack accuracy with regard to portion-size estimation. Technology-assisted dietary assessment tools have been proposed but few have been validated for feasibility of use in LMICs.We assessed the relative validity of FRANI (Food Recognition Assistance and Nudging Insights), a mobile artificial intelligence (AI) application for dietary assessment in adolescent females (n = 36) aged 12-18 y in Vietnam, against a weighed records (WR) standard and compared FRANI performance with a multi-pass 24-h recall (24HR).Dietary intake was assessed using 3 methods: FRANI, WR, and 24HRs undertaken on 3 nonconsecutive days. Equivalence of nutrient intakes was tested using mixed-effects models adjusting for repeated measures, using 10%, 15%, and 20% bounds. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was used to assess the agreement between methods. Sources of errors were identified for memory and portion-size estimation bias.Equivalence between the FRANI app and WR was determined at the 10% bound for energy, protein, and fat and 4 nutrients (iron, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, and zinc), and at 15% and 20% bounds for carbohydrate, calcium, vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, and folate. Similar results were observed for differences between 24HRs and WR with a 20% equivalent bound for all nutrients except for vitamin A. The CCCs between FRANI and WR (0.60, 0.81) were slightly lower between 24HRs and WR (0.70, 0.89) for energy and most nutrients. Memory error (food omissions or intrusions) was ∼21%, with no clear pattern apparent on portion-size estimation bias for foods.AI-assisted dietary assessment and 24HRs accurately estimate nutrient intake in adolescent females when compared with WR. Errors could be reduced with further improvements in AI-assisted food recognition and portion estimation.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), an essential enzyme of the glycolysis metabolic pathway, plays a vital role in carbon metabolism, plant development, and stress resistance. As a kind of woody plant, poplars are widely cultivated for afforestation. Although the whole genome data of poplars have been published, little information is known about the GAPDH family of genes in poplar. This study performed a genome-wide identification of the poplar GAPDH family, and 13 determined PtGAPDH genes were identified from poplar genome. Phylogenetic tree showed that the PtGAPDH members were divided into PtGAPA/B, PtGAPC, PtGAPCp, and PtGAPN groups. A total of 13 PtGAPDH genes were distributed on eight chromosomes, 13 gene pairs belonging to segmented replication events were detected in poplar, and 23 collinearity gene pairs were determined between poplar and willow. The PtGAPDHcis-acting elements associated with growth and development as well as stress resistance revealed that PtGAPDHs might be involved in these processes. The phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) and triose-phosphate isomerase (TPI) were predicted as the putative interaction proteins of PtGAPDHs. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that PtGAPDHs play a crucial role in the oxidation and reduction processes. PtGAPDH expression levels were induced by NaCl and PEG treatments, which implied that PtGAPDHs might be involved in stress response. Overexpression of PtGAPC1 significantly changed the contents of lipid and carbohydrate metabolites, which indicated that PtGAPC1 plays an essential role in metabolic regulation. This study highlights the characterizations and profiles of PtGAPDHs and reveals that PtGAPC1 is involved in the loop of lipid and carbohydrate metabolisms.

A 61-year-old woman was admitted to our institution to characterize an incidentally found mass in the porta hepatis. An episode of pulmonary embolism (18 months ago) and a pulmonary abscess (15 months ago) were reported. The patient had no history of known liver disease, previous cancer diagnosis, or trauma. She underwent total thyroidectomy for goiter several years ago, with initial iatrogenic hypothyroidism treated with levo-thyroxine hormone replacement therapy. During follow-up, this therapy was adjusted (50 μg per day) to induce euthyroidism and to achieve a target serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration of 1-2 mIU/L. Physical examination findings were unremarkable. Admission laboratory data were entirely normal, including tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9. Unenhanced and multiphasic contrast-enhanced CT imaging was performed in arterial, portal venous, and delayed (3 minutes after injection) phases. Axial and coronal maximum intensity projection reconstructed CT images were obtained in the arterial and portal venous phases. Because of the imaging findings of the mass in the porta hepatis and concerns about malignancy, the patient underwent endoscopy. Therefore, endoscopic US-guided fine-needle biopsy was performed in the same session. The patient also underwent whole-body iodine 131 (

Knowing the percentage of women planning a pregnancy who meet preconception dietary and physical activity (PA) guidelines and which health-related preconception factors are associated with body mass index (BMI) could help improve preconception care.In a study conducted in women who were planning to conceive, the aims were to describe and compare eating and PA habits to current guidelines, as well as to identify the factors associated with BMI.This was a cross-sectional study.From 2017 to 2020, women planning to conceive within the next year (n = 217) were recruited in the province of Québec (Canada) to participate in the Apports Nutritionnels durant la GrossessE - Cohorte Contrôle study. Among them, 184 (84.8%) were included in the analyses.Women completed three (90.2%) or two (9.8%) Web-based 24-hour dietary recalls and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Weight and height as well as the presence/absence of weight/body image concerns were self-reported. Eating and PA habits were compared with dietary reference intakes and Canadian guidelines, respectively.Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample, eating and PA habits, as well as adherence to guidelines. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with BMI.On average, women were aged 30.8 ± 4.1 years and identified as White (94.0%). Most of them had weight/body image concerns (58.7%), 54.6% of whom had a normal body weight. Overall, 42.3% engaged in 150 minutes/week or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA and 84.8% consumed135 g alcoholic beverages per week. Mean dietary intake was below Dietary Reference Intakes for carbohydrates, vitamins D and E, and above Dietary Reference Intakes for total fat and folic acid. Factors associated with a higher BMI were weight/body image concerns (β = 1.83; RWomen planning to conceive do not have optimal eating and PA behaviors. Modifiable factors associated with BMI in preconception were identified.

Galectins are β-galactoside sugar binding proteins which function as important pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in innate immunity. Here, we identified a galectin-9 gene from koi carp (Cyprinus carpio), named kGal-9. The ORF of kGal-9 is 963 bp in length, which encodes a polypeptide of 320 amino acids without either signal peptide. The predicted molecular weight is 36.25 kDa, and the isoelectric point is 8.3. Multiple sequence alignment showed that the putative kGal-9 contains two carbohydrate recognition domains (CRD), which are conserved in Galectin-9s. The phylogenetic tree showed that kGal-9 clustered to Galectin-9s from other teleosts, and shared the highest identity of 87.5% with Qihe crucian (Carassius auratus). kGal-9 mRNA was abundant in head kidney, gills, and gut, but low in liver and muscle. Further, the expression level of kGal-9 in the head kidney and liver increased significantly after Aeromonas veronii (abbreviated A.v) infection. Unexpectedly, kGal-9 showed a remarkable downregulation in the spleen at various time points post A.v infection. Intramuscular injection of pckGal-9 not merely reduced the bacterial load of spleen tissue, but also improved the survival rate of koi carp post A.v challenge. Besides, administration of pckGal-9 stimulated the expression of several immuno-related genes including proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6), anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10), complement components (C4, C9), with fluctuation in spleen and head kidney. Taken together, the obtained results suggest that kGal-9 occupies an important role in innate immunity and defense against bacterial infection in koi carp.

Sugar synthesis from photosynthesis and its utilization through sugar metabolism jointly determine leaf sugar content, and in contrast, excess sugar represses leaf photosynthesis. Although plant photosynthesis is affected by leaf sugar metabolism, the relationship between sugar metabolism and photosynthetic capacity of different grape genotypes remains unclear. In this study, two grape (Vitis vinifera L.) genotypes 'Riesling' (RI, high sugar content in leaf) and 'Petit Manseng' (PM, low sugar content in leaf) were used to evaluate the relationship between sugar metabolism and photosynthesis. Sugar content, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic parameters, enzyme activity, and gene expression related to sucrose metabolism in leaves were measured, and the correlations between photosynthesis and sugar metabolism were assessed. The contents of sucrose and glucose were significantly higher in RI leaves than in PM leaves, while the fructose content pattern was reversed. Cell wall invertase activity for sucrose hydrolysis and the transcript levels of VvCWINV, VvHTs, VvTMT1, VvFKs, and VvHXK2 were also higher in RI leaves than in PM leaves, whereas that of VvHXK1 mediating glucose phosphorylation, was lower in RI leaves than in PM leaves. Net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and chlorophyll content were lower in RI leaves than in PM leaves and negatively correlated with glucose content, and the transcript levels of VvCWINV, VvHTs, VvTMT1, and VvHXK2. In conclusion, this study indicates that leaf sugar metabolism and transport are related to photosynthesis in Vitis vinifera L., which provides a theoretical basis for improving grape photosynthesis.

Preoperative systemic inflammation has been reported to predict survival in patients with various cancer types. In patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM), the prognosis is poor despite therapeutic advances in the field. Here, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of the lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein (CRP) ratio (LCR) in patients with CRLM after hepatic resection.This retrospective study included 104 patients who underwent hepatic resection for CRLM between October 2010 and 2021 at the National Hospital Organization Fukuyama Medical Center, Hiroshima, Japan. The association between clinicopathological variables, including various inflammatory biomarkers [LCR, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI)], and overall survival of the patients was investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses.The optimal cut-off values for each biomarker by receiver-operating characteristic analysis were as follows: LCR: 12,720; PLR: 150; NLR: 4; CAR: 0.023; and PNI: 44.8. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 97.0%, 71.3%, and 56.8%, respectively. On univariate analysis, LCR12, 720, PLR0.14, body mass index24 kg/mLCR may be an independent prognostic predictor in patients after hepatic resection for CRLM. Therefore, the assessment of LCR as a biomarker may help in treatment planning.

Different factors, such as starvation and metal exposure, may affect development and cause oxidative stress in insects. Some host plants may contain a high concentration of cadmium due to their hyperaccumulating property. The negative effects of metals and hunger may be manifested by low availability of energetic substrates. This study aimed to assess whether the insect population with a history of long metal exposure may better manage metal stress or/and starvation at different developmental stages, with the use of energetic substrates. Two strains of Spodoptera exigua model organism were tested: control strain and cadmium strain (treated continuously for over 200 generations with subtoxic amounts of cadmium). The effects of different factors, individually and in combination, on the tested strains were assessed, first by determining the body weight of larvae and pupae and then by estimating the concentration of biomolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, or glycogen) in the 4th and 5th larval stages and in pupae, and the total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation level in the 4th larval stage. Compared to control strain, cadmium strain individuals exhibited changes in the concentration of soluble carbohydrates and protein. This was partly related to earlier 1-day starvation. In particular, changes in carbohydrate concentration seemed to be a sensitive biomarker of metal stress, independent of the age of individuals and period of starvation. However, the increase in the total antioxidant capacity and the concentration of lipid peroxidation products in the 4th larval stage under the effect of cadmium was dependent on strain origin.

Glycoconjugates are major constituents of mammalian cells that are formed

The Splendidus clade is the largest clade in Vibrionaceae, and its members are often related to mortality of marine animals with huge economic losses. The molecular bases of their pathogenicity and virulence, however, remain largely unknown. In particular, the complete genome sequences of the Splendidus clade species are rarely registered, which is one of the obstacles to predict core and/or unique genes responsible for their adaptation and pathogenicity, and to perform a fine scale meta-transcriptome during bacterial infection to their hosts. In this study, we obtained the complete genomes of all type strains in the Splendidus clade and revealed that (1) different genome sizes (4.4-5.9 Mb) with V. lentus the biggest and most of them had several big plasmids, likely because of the different features on mobilome elements; (2) the Splendidus clade consists of 19 species except V. cortegadensis, and 3 sub-clades (SC) were defined with the 15 most closely related members as SC1; (3) different carbohydrate degradation preferences may be the result of environmental adaptation; and (4) a broad prediction of virulence factors (VFs) revealed core and species unique VF genes.

Oligosaccharides, either as such or as part of glycolipids, glycopeptides, or glycoproteins, are ubiquitous in nature and fulfill important roles in the living cell. Also in medicine and to some extent in materials, oligosaccharides play an important role. In order to study their function, modifying naturally occurring oligosaccharides, and building in reactive groups and reporter groups in oligosaccharides, are key strategies. The development of oligosaccharides as drugs, or vaccines, requires the introduction of subtle modifications in the structure of oligosaccharides to optimize efficacy and, in the case of antibiotics, circumvent bacterial resistance. Provided the natural oligosaccharide is available, site-selective modification is an attractive approach as total synthesis of the target is often very laborious. Researchers in catalysis areas, such as transition-metal catalysis, enzyme catalysis, organocatalysis, and photoredox catalysis, have made considerable progress in the development of site-selective and late-stage modification methods for mono- and oligosaccharides. It is foreseen that the fields of enzymatic modification of glycans and the chemical modification of (oligo)saccharides will approach and potentially meet each other, but there is a lot to learn and discover before this will be the case.

The chemical composition of wine samples comprises numerous bioactive compounds responsible for unique flavor and health-promoting properties. Thus, it's important to have a complete overview of the metabolic profile of new wine products in order to obtain peculiar information in terms of their phytochemical composition, quality, and traceability. To achieve this aim, in this work, a mass spectrometry-based phytochemical screening was performed on seven new wine products from Villa D'Agri in the Basilicata region (Italy), i.e., Aglianico Bianco, Plavina, Guisana, Giosana, Malvasia ad acino piccolo, Colata Murro and Santa Sofia. Ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry data were processed into absorption mode FT-ICR mass spectra, in order to remove artifacts and achieve a higher resolution and lower levels of noise. Accurate mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) values were converted into putative elemental formulas. Therefore, 2D van Krevelen diagrams were used as a tool to obtain molecular formula maps useful to perform a rapid and more comprehensive analysis of the wine sample metabolome. The presence of important metabolite classes, i.e., fatty acid derivatives, amino acids and peptides, carbohydrates and phenolic derivatives, was assessed. Moreover, the comparison of obtained metabolomic maps revealed some differences among profiles, suggesting their employment as metabolic fingerprints. This study shed some light on the metabolic composition of seven new Italian wine varieties, improving their value in terms of related bioactive compound content. Moreover, different metabolomic fingerprints were obtained for each of them, suggesting the use of molecular maps as innovative tool to ascertain their unique metabolic profile.

To investigate the clinical effects of intubation and sphincterotomy with wire-guided incision knife plus balloon dilatation (ISBD) in the treatment of choledocholithiasis, a randomized controlled trial was conducted.A total of 270 patients with choledocholithiasis confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging from January 2016 to July 2018 in our hospital were enrolled in the research. All patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: ISBD group, endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) group, and endoscopic sphincterotomy plus balloon dilation group, respectively. The clinical effects, complications, and inflammation indexes of the 3 groups were detected. SPSS software was used for statistics and analysis of results.There were no significant differences in basic characteristics of the 3 groups. Although there was no significant difference in the total stone clearance rate among the 3 groups, the first stone clearance rate and the large stone clearance rate in ISBD group were significantly higher than those in EST group. Compared with the other 2 groups, the total operation time and complications in ISBD group were significant lower. The serum levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and carcinoembryonic antigen in ISBD group were significant lower than those in EST group, and CRP and PCT in ISBD group were markedly lower than those in endoscopic sphincterotomy plus balloon dilation group.ISBD treatment simplifies the operation procedure, shortens the operation time, reduces postoperative inflammation and complications, and makes ERCP stone removal simpler, safer, and more efficient for patients with common bile duct stones.

The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein kinase is a master regulator of cell growth in all eukaryotes, from unicellular yeast and algae to multicellular animals and plants. Target of rapamycin balances the synthesis and degradation of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids in response to nutrients, growth factors and cellular energy to promote cell growth. Among nutrients, amino acids (AAs) and glucose are central regulators of TOR activity in evolutionary distant eukaryotes such as mammals, plants and algae. However, these organisms obtain the nutrients through totally different metabolic processes. Although photosynthetic eukaryotes can use atmospheric COsub2/subas the sole carbon (C) source for all reactions in the cell, heterotrophic organisms get nutrients from other sources of organic C including glucose. Here, we discuss the impact of autotrophic and heterotrophic metabolism on the nutrient regulation of TOR, focusing on the role of AAs and C sources upstream of this signaling pathway.

Colloidal organo-mineral associations contribute to soil organic matter (OM) preservation and mainly occur in two forms: (i) as water-dispersible colloids that are potentially mobile (free colloids) and (ii) as building units of soil microaggregates that are occluded inside them (occluded colloids). However, the way in which these two colloidal forms differ in terms of textural characteristics and chemical composition, together with the nature of their associated OM, remains unknown. To fill these knowledge gaps, free and occluded fine colloids220 nm were isolated from arable soils with comparable organic carbon (C

β-Amylase (BAM)-mediated starch degradation is a main source of soluble sugars that help plants adapt to environmental stresses. Here, we demonstrate that dehydration-induced expression of PtrBAM3 in trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.) functions positively in drought tolerance via modulation of starch catabolism. Two transcription factors, PtrABF4 (P. trifoliata abscisic acid-responsive element-binding factor 4) and PtrABR1 (P. trifoliata ABA repressor 1), were identified as upstream transcriptional activators of PtrBAM3 through yeast one-hybrid library screening and protein–DNA interaction assays. Both PtrABF4 and PtrABR1 played a positive role in plant drought tolerance by modulating soluble sugar accumulation derived from BAM3-mediated starch decomposition. In addition, PtrABF4 could directly regulate PtrABR1 expression by binding to its promoter, leading to a regulatory cascade to reinforce the activation of PtrBAM3. Moreover, PtrABF4 physically interacted with PtrABR1 to form a protein complex that further promoted the transcriptional regulation of PtrBAM3. Taken together, our finding reveals that a transcriptional cascade composed of ABF4 and ABR1 works synergistically to upregulate BAM3 expression and starch catabolism in response to drought condition. The results shed light on the understanding of the regulatory molecular mechanisms underlying BAM-mediated soluble sugar accumulation for rendering drought tolerance in plants.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O125, the cause of infectious diarrheal disease, is comprised of two serogroups, viz., O125ab and O125ac, which display the aggregative adherence pattern with epithelial cells. Herein, the structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide from E. coli O125ac:H6 has been elucidated. Sugar analysis revealed the presence of fucose, mannose, galactose and N-acetyl-galactosamine as major components. Unassigned 1H and 13C NMR data from one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments of the O125ac O-antigen in conjunction with sugar components were used as input to the CASPER program, which can determine polysaccharide structure in a fully automated way, and resulted in the following branched pentasaccharide structure of the repeating unit: →4)[β-d-Galp-(1 → 3)]-β-d-GalpNAc-(1 → 2)-α-d-Manp-(1 → 3)-α-l-Fucp-(1 → 3)-α-d-GalpNAc-(1→, where the side chain is denoted by square brackets. The proposed O-antigen structure was confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR chemical shift assignments and determination of interresidue connectivities. Based on this structure, that of the O125ab O-antigen, which consists of hexasaccharide repeating units with an additional glucosyl group, was possible to establish in a semi-automated fashion by CASPER. The putative existence of gnu and gne in the gene clusters of the O125 serogroups is manifested by N-acetyl-d-galactosamine residues as the initial sugar residue of the biological repeating unit as well as within the repeating unit. The close similarity between O-antigen structures is consistent with the presence of two subgroups in the E. coli O125 serogroup.

Agricultural waste residues (agro-waste) are the source of carbohydrates that generally go in vain or remain unused despite their interesting morphological, chemical, and mechanical properties. With rapid urbanization, there is a need to valorize this waste due to limited non-renewable resources. Utilizing agro-waste also prevents the problems like burning and inefficient disposal that otherwise lead to immense pollution worldwide. In addition, conversion of biomass to value-added products like earthen cups, weaving baskets, and bricks is equally beneficial for the rural population as it provides secondary income, creates jobs, and improves rural people's lifestyles. This review paper will discuss an overview of different applications utilizing agro-waste residues. In particular, agro-wastes used as construction material, bio-fertilizers, pulp and paper products, packaging products, tableware, heating applications, biocomposites, nano-cellulosic materials, soil stabilizers, bioplastics, fire-retardant additive, dye removal, and biofuels will be summarized. Finally, several commercially available agro-waste products will also be discussed, emphasizing the circular economy.

A controlled experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of salinity and alkalinity stresses on the growth and physiological characteristics of Carum copticum L. The treatments included four salinity levels: 0, 50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl, and four alkalinity levels 0, 20, 40 and 60 mM NaHCO