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Obesity impairs cognition. Bariatric surgery can result in substantial weight loss in patients with severe obesity; however, the impact of bariatric surgery on cognitive function remains controversial. To quantify the effect of bariatric surgery on cognition in patients with severe obesity, we performed a meta-analysis of 20 studies retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase. Of these, 6 cohort studies found that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass leads to better performance for immediate verbal memory function (standardized mean difference [SMD] =.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]:.30–.82, P <.0001; I2 = 0%) and delayed memory function (SMD =.64; 95% CI:.38–.90, P <.00001; I2 = 0%) during in the short term. Similarly, positive impacts on immediate verbal memory function (SMD =.46; 95% CI:.09–.83, P <.00001) and delayed memory function (SMD =.84; 95% CI:.46–1.22, P <.0001) were identified during a long-term follow-up. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass group showed no improvements in attention, cognitive speed, and executive function compared with the control obese group. In 14 longitudinal studies (12 single-arm pre-post comparison studies and 2 cohort studies whose control group had no follow-up cognitive data), patients performed better postoperatively than preoperatively in all cognitive domains during repeated assessments. The analysis for the 20 operative groups showed that individuals treated with bariatric surgery had higher scores after repeated assessment of most neuropsychological tests except for animal fluency and letter fluency than baseline scores. These findings suggest that patients with severe obesity may obtain immediate verbal and delayed memory function benefits from Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. • RYGB is an effective option to ameliorate immediate verbal memory and delayed memory function in the both short and long terms. • RYGB may not influence executive function, cognitive speed, and attention in the both short and long terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Real-time cell-based impedance sensing was firstly used to assess antioxidant phenols. • The area under impedance curve (AUC) was used to reflect cumulative chemical effects. • AUC -based impedance analysis was a good alternative for rapid antioxidant assessment. Abstract To seek for a rapid, efficient and more physiologically relevant method for assessment of antioxidant phenols, the real-time impedance sensing technique was employed for label-free and dynamic measurement of cell response to phenolic compounds under H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress in a 16-well E-plate with integrated microelectrode arrays at the bottom of each well to monitor the electrical impedance changes due to cell adhesion and number. The area under the impedance response curve (AUC) was proposed to reflect the cumulative chemical effects on fibroblast NIH-3T3 cells. Four longan seed polyphenols with different antioxidant potency were used to test the feasibility of the impedance method. Our results showed that the AUC -based impedance data correlated well with the conventional cell-based endpoint results including antioxidant enzyme activities and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. The conclusion was further validated by using 12 kinds of representative and well-studied antioxidant phenols. Our data strongly suggested that the AUC - and fibroblast cell-based impedance method could serve as an alternative to existing traditional cell-based endpoint assays for rapid assessment and primary screening of phenolic compounds. This method is non-invasive, highly sensitive, inexpensive and time-saving, and has potential to be a high-throughput approach in a more physiologically relevant manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A-type EGCG dimer was a potent inhibitor of Aβ 40 peptide aggregation. • A-type EGCG dimer prominently inhibited the oligomerization of Aβ 40. • A-type EGCG dimer predominantly interacted with Aβ 40 peptide with 1:2. • A-type EGCG dimer interacted with amino acids possessed high aggregation-propensity. Abstract A-type EGCG dimer is a new proanthocyanidins dimer from persimmon fruits. In the present study, we firstly examined the effects of EGCG and A-type EGCG dimer on Aβ 40 -fibrillization, and then the detailed mechanisms behind the inhibitory effects of polyphenols on Aβ 40 amyloid fibrils formation were investigated by PICUP assay, ESI-MS, NMR and molecular docking. Our results confirmed that A-type EGCG dimer exhibited stronger inhibitory effect on the formation of Aβ 40 amyloid fibrils. We found that A-type EGCG dimer possessed more binding sites on Aβ 40 peptide than EGCG. Notably, compared with EGCG, A-type EGCG dimer could interact with more amino acid residues which possessed obvious aggregation-propensity. And our results also suggested that the hydrophobic interaction was the principal driving force to inhibit the formation of Aβ 40 amyloid fibrils by A-type EGCG dimer. We believed that our study could provide useful insights for the design of low-molecular weight inhibitors of Aβ aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry ( Morus sp.) fruits provide high levels of anthocyanins, quercetin glycoside, and chlorogenic acid. Recently, mulberry’s polyphenols and their functionalities are spotlighted in different ex vivo and in vivo studies. Meanwhile, the deficiency of systematic knowledge on the health effects and polyphenols composition greatly hinders the development of mulberry as a sustainable fruit. This review briefly summarises the polyphenol compositions, metabolism, health benefits, and their stability in different mulberry production steps. These claimed health effects include anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, and other related effects. However, although the current evidence is promising, further clinical studies are needed to evaluate the role of mulberries' polyphenols to support human health. Besides, the mechanisms by which they confer the health benefits, the bioavailability studies on mulberry’s polyphenols are also scarce. We compile the research findings from the available literatures within the last two decades, and we also suggest some future perspectives in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallocatechin gallate (GCG), as the epimer of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the content is low in traditional tea made from Camellia sinensis and C. assamica . However, previous studies found that the content of GCG was almost the same as EGCG in canned and bottled tea drinks. Accumulating evidences indicated that GCG possessed multiple biological activities, but the anti-obesity study of GCG is poorly reported. In this study, the anti-adipogenic activities of GCG were investigated. The results showed that as EGCG, GCG significantly reduced the intracellular lipid droplets and expressions of major adipogenic transcription factors, such as PPAR γ, SREBP-1c and C/EBP α. Further study revealed that the expressions of FAS, ACC, FAT and SCD-1 were decreased in 3T3-L1 cells treated with GCG. GCG treatment also dose-dependently decreased the intracellular ROS level, attenuated MAPK pathway activation in 3T3-L1 differentiations. Additionally, GCG decreased the activation of NF-κB, and down-regulated the production of IL-6 and MCP-1 induced by LPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the pigment and non-pigment phenolic profile of polyphenol extracts of jujube peel and their bioactivities. Firstly, the pigment and non-pigment phenolic composition as well as antioxidant activities of free and bound polyphenol extracts in jujube peel were compared among twelve varieties systematically. Then the antioxidant and lipid-lowering activities of free and bound polyphenol extracts of 'Junzao' jujube peel were investigated representatively. Overall, 23 phenolic compounds were identified, in which flavonols were the main pigments and all varieties showed similar qualitative patterns but different quantitative characteristics. The antioxidant activities significantly correlated with the content of total phenolics and total flavonoids. Furtherly, both free and bound polyphenol extracts of 'Junzao' jujube peel exhibited DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging capacity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, both of them improved the resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans under H 2 O 2 oxidative stress and heat stress at 37 °C (20–100 μg/mL). What's more, compared to free polyphenol extract, bound polyphenol extract decreased the level of body lipid accumulation and triglyceride more effectively. These results suggest that jujube peel is an exploitable source of natural flavonoid pigments and phenolic ingredients with strong antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties. • The pigment and non-pigment phenolic profile of jujube peel were analyzed. • FPE JZ and BPE JZ have potent antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo. • FPE JZ and BPE JZ of could reduce intracellular ROS levels in C. elegans. • BPE JZ showed better antioxidant and lipid-lowering activities than FPE JZ. • The information may be useful for jujube peel as functional food ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estrogen deficiency in women and high-saturated fat, high-sucrose (HFS) diets have both been recognized as risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Studies on the combined actions of these 2 detrimental factors on the bone in females are limited.Objective: We sought to determine the interactive actions of estrogen deficiency and an HFS diet on bone properties and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.Methods: Six-month-old Sprague Dawley sham or ovariectomized (OVX) rats were pair fed the same amount of either a low-saturated-fat, low-sucrose (LFS) diet (13% fat calories; 15% sucrose calories) or an HFS diet (42% fat calories; 30% sucrose calories) for 12 wk. Blood, liver, and bone were collected for correspondent parameters measurement.Results: Ovariectomy decreased bone mineral density in the tibia head (TH) by 62% and the femoral end (FE) by 49% (P < 0.0001). The HFS diet aggravated bone loss in OVX rats by an additional 41% in the TH and 37% in the FE (P < 0.05). Bone loss in the HFS-OVX rats was accompanied by increased urinary deoxypyridinoline concentrations by 28% (P < 0.05). The HFS diet induced cathepsin K by 145% but reduced osteoprotegerin mRNA expression at the FE of the HFS-sham rats by 71% (P < 0.05). Ovariectomy significantly increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ mRNA expression by 136% and 170% at the FE of the LFS- and HFS-OVX rats, respectively (P < 0.05). The HFS diet aggravated ovariectomy-induced lipid deposition and oxidative stress (OS) in rat livers (P < 0.05). Trabecular bone mineral density at the FE was negatively correlated with rat liver malondialdehyde concentrations (R(2) = 0.39; P < 0.01).Conclusions: The detrimental actions of the HFS diet and ovariectomy on bone properties in rats occurred mainly in cancellous bones and were characterized by a high degree of bone resorption and alterations in OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to establish an approach for preparing new representative proanthocyanidin oligomers from persimmon for further structure−activity relationship study. Persimmon tannins (with a mean degree of polymerization of 23.7) were depolymerized, using 0.1 M methanolic HCl, with (+)-catechin and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate as chain breakers. Normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography (NP−HPLC) coupled with reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (RP−HPLC−MS) method was used to analyse the degradation products. Four B-type and one A-type dimers were tentatively identified. In addition, three dimer analogues, 1-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(2′′,4′′,6′′-trihydroxyphenyl)propan-2-ol-(epi)catechin dimer (B-type) and 1-(3′,4′,5′-trihydroxyphenyl)-3-(2′′,4′′,6′′-trihydroxyphenyl)-propan-2-gallate-(epi)gallocatechin-3-gallate dimers (A- and B-type), were reported for the first time. Three different assays were employed to evaluate the antioxidant capacities of the new dimer analogues. Our results revealed that the formation of the C-ring-opened diaryl-propan-2-gallate structural unit on dimer analogues enhanced their antioxidant abilities in aqueous systems for the first time. This research provided a workable approach for preparing novel dimeric proanthocyanidins for further structure–activity relationship study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral infections have caused numerous diseases and deaths worldwide. Due to the emergence of new viruses and frequent virus variation, conventional antiviral strategies that directly target viral or cellular proteins are limited because of the specificity, drug resistance and rapid clearance from the human body. Therefore, developing safe and potent antiviral agents with activity against viral infection at multiple points in the viral life cycle remains a major challenge. In this report, we propose a new modality to inhibit viral infection by fabricating DNA conjugated gold nanoparticle (DNA-AuNP) networks on cell membranes as a protective barrier. The DNA-AuNPs networks were found, via a plaque formation assay and viral titers, to have potent antiviral ability and protect host cells from human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Confocal immunofluorescence image analysis showed 80 ± 3.8% of viral attachment, 91.1 ± 0.9% of viral entry and 87.9 ± 2.8% of viral budding were inhibited by the DNA-AuNP networks, which were further confirmed by real-time fluorescence imaging of the RSV infection process. The antiviral activity of the networks may be attributed to steric effects, the disruption of membrane glycoproteins and limited fusion of cell membrane bilayers, all of which play important roles in viral infection. Therefore, our results suggest that the DNA-AuNP networks have not only prophylactic effects to inhibit virus attachment and entry, but also therapeutic effects to inhibit viral budding and cell-to-cell spread. More importantly, this proof-of-principle study provides a pathway for the development of a universal, broad-spectrum antiviral therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols have been shown to be the main active components responsible for the antioxidant effect of longan seed extract. To figure out the structure–activity relationships of the major phenolic constituents isolated from longan seeds, structural elucidation and antioxidant activities of these compounds were investigated. The detailed structures of three phenolic compounds, namely 9- O -(3-carboxymethyl-4-( p -formylstyryl))hydroxybutanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxycaffeic acid 5- O -β- d -glucopyranoside and 3′- O -methyl-4′- O -(4- O -galloyl-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid, were elucidated for the first time from longan seeds by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR–MS) and other spectroscopic methods. The antioxidant activities of the three compounds as well as four previously reported compounds including corilagin, ( S )-flavogallonic acid, 3′- O -methylellagic acid 4′- O -β- d -glucopyranoside and ethyl gallate were compared in three different assays including the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and the β-carotene–linoleate model assay. Our results confirmed that the previously uncharacterized 2-hydroxy-3-methoxycaffeic acid 5- O -β- d -glucopyranoside and 3′- O -methyl-4′- O -(4- O -galloyl-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid were the main contributors to the potent activity of longan seed extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To elucidate the anti-venom mechanism of persimmon tannin, the interaction between a polymeric persimmon proanthocyanidin fraction (PT40) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied using a competitive binding assay and spectroscopic methods including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), circular dichroism (CD), and resonance light scattering (RLS) spectroscopy. The results revealed that PT40 has a higher affinity for PLA2 than for BSA at physiological pH and induced greater conformational changes in PLA2 than in BSA. PT40 covalently bound to PLA2 in a reaction probably involving Lys residues. We propose that the high affinity of PT40 for PLA2 and the covalent modification of PLA2 by PT40 may be responsible for the ability of the tannin to irreversibly inhibit PLA2 catalytic activity, to prevent edema, and to neutralize the lethality of Chinese cobra PLA2 in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aimed to elucidate whether high molecular weight persimmon tannin (HMWPT) is responsible for the hypolipidemic effect of consuming persimmon fruit, the effects of HMWPT on high-cholesterol diet fed rats were investigated. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed a 2% high-cholesterol diet and treated with different dosages of HMWPT or without HMWPT for 9weeks, lipids and antioxidant profiles were examined and the morphology of livers was checked as well. The results indicated that HMWPT effectively reduced serum and hepatic triglyceride, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol while increased the serum and hepatic high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p <0.05). In addition, 100mg/kg body weight per day of HMWPT treatment could significantly enhance the serum lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) activity and fecal bile acids excretion (p <0.05). Meanwhile, accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets and hepatic steatosis induced by high-cholesterol diet was inhibited markedly by HMWPT. Furthermore, high-cholesterol diet induced oxidative stress in rats but HMWPT significantly increased the decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), elevated the lowered total anti-oxidation capability (T-AOC), (p <0.05), and decreased the raised malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p <0.05) in serum or liver. These results suggested that HMWPT was responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effect of persimmon fruit and it might exert the hypolipidemic effect through stimulating serum LCAT activity, enhancing fecal bile acids excretion and improving antioxidant profile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A visual test paper by taking common filter paper as solid support for extremely strong concentrated acidity has been developed in this contribution with a new synthesized isoindole compound starting from p-phenylenediamine and the coupled fluorogenic reagent of o-phthaldialdehyde-β-mercaptoethanol. It was very easy for semiquantitative detection of acidity in the range of 0.2–18M ([H+]) in extreme acidic solution based on the color changes of the solution or the visual test paper prepared by immerging filter paper slides into the solution of the new synthesized reagent. Quantitative detection of concentrated strong acids could be successfully constructed through the linear relationship exists between the absorbance of the chromogenic reagent at 510nm and the acid concentrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]