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Starches are a major constituent of staple foods and are the main source of energy in the human diet (55-70%). In the gastrointestinal tract, starches are hydrolyzed into glucose by α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which leads to a postprandial glucose elevation. High levels of blood glucose levels over sustained periods may promote type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Increasing consumption of starchy foods with a lower glycemic index may therefore contribute to improved health. In this paper, the preparation and properties of several starch-based nanoparticles (SNPs) and cyclodextrins (CDs) derivatives are reviewed. In particular, we focus on the various mechanisms responsible for the ability of these edible nanomaterials to modulate glucose release and the gut microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract. The probiotic functions are achieved through encapsulation and protection of prebiotics or bioactive components in foods or the human gut. This review therefore provides valuable information that could be used to design functional foods for improving human health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is facing serious water scarcity, and the effects of international trade on its water resources have been widely examined. Processing exports account for nearly half of China's gross exports. Adopting China's multi-regional input–output table that captures processing exports, we enrich the literature on virtual water exports by accounting for trade heterogeneity. The results show that China's virtual water exports show a significant trade heterogeneity. Normal and processing exports are attributed to 86.7% and 13.3% of the Agriculture sector's water use induced by exports respectively. Conversely, normal and processing exports are attributed to 31.8% and 68.3% of the Communications Equipment, Computers sector's water use induced by exports respectively. In addition, a cross-regional compensation is needed to deal with the unequal regional distribution of water uses and economic benefits related to exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's economic growth slowed down in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding measures. There are great uncertainties in China's economic development in 2023. It is expected that China's medium and long-term economic growth rate will show a wavy downward trend. Based on input-output technology, econometrics, prosperity analysis, expert analysis, and scenario analysis, this study proposes a systematic integrated factor prediction approach on annual GDP growth. Through analysis of China's economic growth in 2022 and the current situation worldwide, China's economic growth rate is predicted to be about 6.0% in 2023, reverting to the normal level. The policy recommendations are further put forward based on the analysis, including strengthening the adjustment of macro-policy, implementing proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, boosting domestic consumption, increasing employment and promoting investment, striving to stabilize the macro-economic market, preventing and defusing risks in major fields, and leveraging China's advantages in the global industrial chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial fermentation has become the main method to produce target compound. In this study, a 2-Keto-D-gluconic acid (2-KGA) producing mutant strain was obtained by mutation with rational screening methods. Meanwhile, prodigiosin was produced when the nitrogen source in the medium was changed to peptone and its fermentation conditions were evaluated to achieve high-efficient accumulation. The mutant strain SDSPY-136 was firstly identified as Serratia marcescens by morphological observation and 16S rDNA sequencing. The 2-KGA synthetic capacity of S. marcescens SDSPY-136 was evaluated by shake fermentation with 110 g/L glucose as substrates. For fermentation, 2-KGA yield, conversation rate and purity of SDSPY-136 reached 104.60 g/L, 95.10%, 99.11% in 72 h. The red pigment was extracted from the fermentation broth using acidic methanol and identified as prodigiosin by FT-IR. The optimal conditions were as follows: glycerol 20 g/L, peptone 20 g/L, MgSO415 g/L, pH 6.0, a 2% (v/v) inoculum, 30 °C and 200 rpm of shaking culture. Eventually, prodigiosin reached a yield of 9.89 g/Lafter shake culturing for 50 h under this condition. The mutant S. marcescens SDSPY-136 was shown to be promising for 2-KGA and prodigiosin production and a suitable object for prodigiosin metabolism research of S. marcescens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]