pH-sensitive chitosan/sodium alginate/calcium chloride hydrogel beads for potential oral delivery of rice bran bioactive peptides.

Although rice bran active peptide (RBAP) has potent antioxidant properties, its practical applications have been limited by its low bioavailability. In this study, we hypothesized that pH-responsive hydrogels prepared from the ionic gelation between chitosan and alginate could be a promising delivery system of short-chain peptides, like RBAP, for protecting them from chemical degradation during digestion and improving their functionality. The hydrogel beads retained RBAP in the gastric environment due to strong interactions between two biopolymers and RBAP, followed by a sustained release of more than 70 % peptide in the intestinal condition, thus improving its gastrointestinal stability.

Melatonin-Mediated Modulation of Grapevine Resistance Physiology, Endogenous Hormonal Dynamics, and Fruit Quality Under Varying Irrigation Amounts.

Grapevine, as a globally significant economic fruit tree, is highly sensitive to water stress, which not only damages its growth but also affects the formation of fruit quality. Melatonin (MT), acting as a signaling molecule, plays a crucial role in plant stress responses. However, the regulatory mechanisms of MT on grape leaf physiological characteristics and fruit quality under different irrigation amounts have not been fully elucidated.

Assembly and comparative analysis of the first complete mitochondrial genome of , a good windbreak and sand fixation shrub.

, commonly known as the sandlive willow, is a vital shrub species within the Salicaceae family, particularly significant for its ecological role in regions susceptible to desertification and sandy soils. In this study, we assembled the complete mitochondrial genome using Pacbio HiFi third-generation sequencing data. The genome was found to be a typical single circular structure, with a total length of 715,555 bp and a GC content of 44.

A water-soluble mycelium polysaccharide from Monascus pilosus: Extraction, structural characterization, immunomodulatory effect and yield enhanced by overexpression of UGE gene.

Mycelium polysaccharide (MPP) from Monascus pilosus with the compositions of glucose, galactose, mannose, glucosamine hydrochloride, rhamnose and arabinose, was obtained using alkaline extracting, and subsequently three purified components (MPP-0, MPP-0.1 and MPP-0.3) were separated.

Transgenerational and parental impacts of acrylamide exposure on Caenorhabditis elegans: Physiological, behavioral, and genetic mechanisms.

Acrylamide is pervasive, and its exposure poses numerous health risks. This study examines both the direct and transgenerational effects of acrylamide toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on physiological and behavioral parameters. Parental exposure to acrylamide compromised several aspects of nematode health, including lifespan, reproductive capacity, body dimensions, and motor and sensory functions.

The impact of homocysteine on patients with diabetic nephropathy: a mendelian randomization study.

Background/aims: Homocysteine (Hcy) has been associated with an increased risk of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in patients, but there is still controversy. This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between plasma Hcy and DN.

Methods: A Mendelian randomization (MR) study using data from 2 samples was employed to infer causal relationships.

Structural characterization and innate immunomodulatory effect of glucomannan from Bletilla striata.

The crude polysaccharide of Bletilla striata in this study was extracted by water extraction and alcohol precipitation and further purified by gel column to yield the purified component Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP). Its structure and innate immune regulation activity were studied. BSP mainly comprises mannose and glucose, with a monosaccharide molar ratio of 2.

Association between the MDR1 rs1045642 polymorphism and breast cancer risk: An updated meta‑analysis.

Multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) is a transmembrane transporter on the cell membrane. As an ATP-dependent efflux pump, MDR1 is mainly responsible for the adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and transportation of anticancer drugs to cancer cells. Mutations of the MDR1 gene may be associated with the incidence of cancer.

Growth, Enzymatic, and Transcriptomic Analysis of Deletion Reveals a Major Regulator of Plant Biomass-Degrading Enzymes in .

The regulation of plant biomass degradation by fungi is critical to the carbon cycle, and applications in bioproducts and biocontrol. is an important plant biomass degrader, enzyme producer, and biocontrol agent, but few putative major transcriptional regulators have been deleted in this species. The .

Prohexadione-calcium improves grape quality by regulating endogenous hormones, sugar and acid metabolism and related enzyme activities in grape berries.

Prohexadione-Calcium (Pro-Ca) plays key roles in improving fruit quality and yield by regulating various aspects of plant growth. However, the effects of how Pro-Ca regulates the regulation of sugar and acid balance and its impact on the production of volatile aroma substances during fruit growth and development are poorly understood. In this study, the Pro-Ca solutions developed at concentrations of 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg·L were sprayed on the entire "Chardonnay" grape tree 22, 42, 62 and 82 days after initial flowering.

Natural products for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases are among the most common diseases in older adults worldwide. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are two of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, and are accompanied by cerebral cortical atrophy, neuronal loss, protein accumulation, and excessive accumulation of metal ions. Natural products exhibit outstanding performance in improving cerebral circulatory disorders, promoting cerebral haematoma absorption, repairing damaged nerve tissue, and improving damaged nerve function.

Chronic lead exposure prolongs the immature stages of brown-legged grain mite, Aleuroglyphus ovatus, in a long-term population study.

An important aspect of environmental pollution, lead contamination is a widespread problem in several ecosystems. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of low concentration lead stress on the development and reproduction of Aleuroglyphus ovatus. They were fed with artificial diet containing four different concentrations of lead (12.

Regulation of three subtypes of SOD gene in Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Acari:Acaridae) under lead stress.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an important enzyme that acts as the first line of protection in the mite antioxidant defense system, involved in eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) under harsh environmental conditions. Nevertheless, the SOD gene family was yet to be reported in stored grain pest mite (Aleuroglyphus ovatus). In this study, A.

Pneumonia in newly diagnosed patients infected with the Omicron variant: a population-based study of Chinese patients in Chongqing.

Background: Pneumonia is the main complication of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2; however, the incidence proportions and prognostic factors for Omicron-associated pneumonia have not been established. We conducted this study to characterise the incidence proportions and influence of various factors on prognosis of Omicron-associated pneumonia.

Methods: We collected data from 714 patients infected with the Omicron variant in The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (Chongqing, China) who were divided into different groups for analysis.

[Effect of Different Antitumor Regimens on Incidence and Severity of Corona Virus Disease 2019 Pneumonia in Lung Cancer Patients: A Single-center Retrospective Study].

Background: Studies have shown that the incidence and severity of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with lung cancer are higher than those in healthy people. At present, the main anti-tumor treatments for lung cancer include surgery, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy. While the effects of different anti-tumor treatments on the occurrence and severity of COVID-19 pneumonia are not uniform.

Lower geriatric nutritional risk index is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cohort study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2018.

Object: Malnutrition negatively affects patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to explore the potential association between malnutrition, as defined by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and all-cause mortality in patients with COPD using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Method: The data of 579 adults with COPD during NHANES 2013-2018 were analysed.

The transcription factor MYB156 controls the polar stiffening of guard cell walls in poplar.

The mechanical properties of guard cells have major effects on stomatal functioning. Reinforced stiffness in the stomatal polar regions was recently proposed to play an important role in stomatal function, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we used genetic and biochemical approaches in poplar (Populus spp.

Spatial effects of the agricultural ecosystem services based on environmental kuznets curve in Mengyin county, China.

Worldwide most agroecosystems effort to increase production and yields and leads to damages of a series of non-provisioning ecosystem services (ESs). To fill in the knowledge gaps pertaining to the understanding of complex relationship between agricultural harvests and other ESs, therefore this study aims to estimate the existence of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for agricultural ESs by incorporating the spatial factors. Based on the test of the spatial autocorrelation of agricultural ESs, the estimation results of spatial model are compared with general regression to explain the spatial effect of agricultural ESs.

The metabolism and detoxification effects of lead exposure on Aleurolyphus ovatus (Acari: Acaridae) via transcriptome analysis.

Aleurolyphus ovatus Troupeau is one of the most predominant species of the Acaridae family worldwide. Recent reports have demonstrated that the accumulation of lead in stored grains and dietary items exceeds the required standards. However, the molecular mechanism of heavy metal stress on mites has not been reported.

Occurrence and prognosis of lung cancer metastasis to major organs: a population-based study.

Background: Lung cancer metastasis to major organs is an important factor affecting survival. We analyzed the influence of patient characteristics on the incidence and survival of metastasis to major organs.

Methods: We collected data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database on 58 659 patients diagnosed with stage IV primary lung cancer, including age, sex, race, histological type of tumor, laterality, primary site, number of extrametastatic sites, and treatment.

Improvements for Tissue-Chopping-Based Immunofluorescence Staining Method of Chloroplast Proteins.

Immunofluorescence staining is a very common method for the subcellular localization study of proteins. A tissue-chopping-based immunofluorescence staining method for chloroplast proteins overcomes the restriction of plant cell wall, makes the operation simpler, and uses less experimental materials. Here we provide some improvements for this method.