Effects of wheat protein on hot-extrusion 3D-printing performance and the release behaviours of caffeic acid-loaded wheat starch

In this study, the effects of wheat protein (WP) on the hot-extrusion 3D-printing (HE-3DP) performance of wheat starch (WS) gels, as well as effects of such gels on the encapsulation of caffeic acid, were investigated for the first time. The HE-3DP results show that the addition of WP can reduce print-line width and improve printing accuracy and fidelity, and the best printing results were achieved when using gels with 10 % WP. The rheological results show that WP reduced the gels' linear viscoelastic region (LVR), yield stress (τy), flow stress (τf) and consistency factor (K) but increased their structural recovery rate, which facilitated smooth extrusion during 3D printing and, thus, improved printing accuracy. The analysis of X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering indicates that adding WP to WS could increase the mass fractal dimension and lead to denser gel network structures. The results regarding release kinetics demonstrate that the maximum release of caffeic acid from gels decreased by 28 % with the addition of WP, indicating slow-release behaviour. This study provided valuable information about processing wheat products via 3D printing.

Composite formation of whey protein isolate and OSA starch for fabricating high internal phase emulsion: A comparative study at different pH and their application in biscuits

The composites formed by whey protein isolate (WPI) and octenyl succinate anhydride (OSA)-modified starch were characterized with a focus on the effect of pH, and their potential in fabricating high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) as fat substitutes was evaluated. The particles obtained at pH 3.0, 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 presented a nanosized distribution (122.04 ± 0.84 nm-163.24 ± 4.12 nm) while those prepared at pH 4.0 and 5.0 were remarkably larger. Results from the shielding agent reaction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) showed that the interaction between WPI and OSA starch was mainly hydrophobic at pH 3.0-5.0, while there was a strong electrostatic repulsion at pH 6.0-8.0. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) study showed that remarkably higher ΔD and lower Δf/n were observed at pH 3.0-5.0 after successive deposition of WPI and OSA starch, whereas slight changes were noted for those made at higher pH values. The WPI-OSA starch (W-O) composite-based HIPEs made at pH 3.0 and 6.0-8.0 were physically stable after long-term storage, thermal treatment, or centrifugation. Incorporation of HIPE into the biscuit formula yielded products with a desirable sensory quality.

Dihydro-β-agarofuran-type sesquiterpenoids from the seeds of Celastrus virens with lifespan-extending effect on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Twelve dihydro-β-agarofuran-type sesquiterpenoids, including five new ones (1-5), were purified from the seeds of Celastrus virens (Wang et Tang) C. Y. Chent et T. C. Kao. Their chemical structures were characterized via comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and computational prediction of ECD, as well as comparison of observed and reported NMR spectral data. Among the isolates, nine abundant dihydro-β-agarofuran-type sesquiterpenoids were evaluated for their lifespan-extending activity using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans model. As a result, compounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 (50 μM) significantly extended the mean survival time of C. elegans, respectively, compared with the blank control group (p < 0.05). Further Quantitative RT-PCR showed that the prolonging of lifespan mediated by compounds 1, 6, 8, and 9 were dependent on the transcription factors skn-1 and hsf-1.

Diterpenoids from Euphorbia helioscopia and their enhancement of NK cell-mediated killing of NSCLC cells

Fourteen previously undescribed diterpenoids, including an unusual diterpenoid (1) with a 9,10-seco-jatrophane skeleton, ten jatrophane-type diterpenoids (2-11), two lathyrane-type diterpenoids (12, 13), and an abietane-type diterpenoid (14), together with thirty-six known ones (15-50), were isolated from the whole plants of Euphorbia helioscopia L. The structures of the new isolates were characterized by spectroscopic methods, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and computational prediction of ECD and chemical shifts. Thirty-nine abundant diterpenoids were evaluated for their enhancement of NK cell-mediated killing of NSCLC cells. As a result, compounds 24, 33, and 41 were found to significantly enhance the killing activity of NK cells towards H1299-luci cells and A549-luci cells at the concentration of 2.5 μM.

Protective Effects of 28-O-Caffeoyl Betulin (B-CA) on the Cerebral Cortex of Ischemic Rats Revealed by a NMR-Based Metabolomics Analysis

28-O-caffeoyl betulin (B-CA) has been demonstrated to reduce the cerebral infarct volume caused by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) injury. B-CA is a novel derivative of naturally occurring caffeoyl triterpene with little information associated with its pharmacological target(s). To date no data is available regarding the effect of B-CA on brain metabolism. In the present study, a 1H-NMR-based metabolomics approach was applied to investigate the therapeutic effects of B-CA on brain metabolism following MCAO in rats. Global metabolic profiles of the cortex in acute period (9 h after focal ischemia onset) after MCAO were compared between the groups (sham; MCAO + vehicle; MCAO + B-CA). MCAO induced several changes in the ipsilateral cortex of ischemic rats, which consequently led to the neuronal damage featured with the downregulation of NAA, including energy metabolism dysfunctions, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter metabolism. Treatment with B-CA showed statistically significant rescue effects on the ischemic cortex of MCAO rats. Specifically, treatment with B-CA ameliorated the energy metabolism dysfunctions (back-regulating the levels of succinate, lactate, BCAAs, and carnitine), oxidative stress (upregulating the level of glutathione), and neurotransmitter metabolism disturbances (back-regulating the levels of γ-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine) associated with the progression of ischemic stroke. With the administration of B-CA, the levels of three phospholipid related metabolites (O-phosphocholine, O-phosphoethanolamine, sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and NAA improved significantly. Overall, our findings suggest that treatment with B-CA may provide neuroprotection by augmenting the metabolic changes observed in the cortex following MCAO in rats.

Diterpenoids from the seeds of Euphorbia lathyris and their effects on microglial nitric oxide production

Four new lathyrane-type diterpenoids (1-4) and a novel macrocyclic diterpenoid (5) featuring a 5/7/7/4-fused ring system, together with seventeen known ones (6-22), were isolated from the seeds of Euphorbia lathyris. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and single crystal X-ray crystallography. These isolates were evaluated for their inhibition against nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in BV-2 microglial cells. As a result, the inhibitory rates of compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9-11, 13-15, 20, and 21 on NO production were more than 40% with the cell viability more than 80% at their effective concentrations. In addition, compounds 6 and 11 markedly reduced the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells.

Minor immunosuppressive spiroorthoester group-containing pregnane glycosides from the root barks of Periploca sepium

LC-MS guided chemical investigation of the periploside-rich extract of the root barks of Periploca sepium afforded six new minor pregnane glycosides, named periplosides A1-A6 (1-6). Their structures were characterized on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1-6 were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against the proliferation of T and B lymphocytes in vitro, among them, compound 5 exhibited significant inhibitory activities and the most favorite selective index (SI) values against the proliferation of T lymphocyte (IC₅₀ = 0.30 μM, SI = 176) and B lymphocyte (IC₅₀ = 0.55 μM, SI = 97).

[The preliminary study of stimulus input temporal changes on the visual cortex of rats at different ages]

Objective: To observe the impact of the input temporal changes on visual cortex of rats cells and the change of the synaptic efficacy, for the study of visual developmental plasticity mechanism. Methods: Experimental research. The brain slice of ten 14d healthy Wistar rats and ten 21d healthy Wistar rats were recorded with whole cell recording technique, using single stimulation and combined stimulate model, to observe the visual cortex of rats neurons changes in synaptic activity. Change the stimulus input sequence, and observe the visual cortex of rats changes of synaptic efficacy. Using the paired t test to compare the change of excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSC) of visual cortex. Result: The difference between single stimulation and combined stimulate about EPSC was statistically significant, which was decreased (14.3±7.4) % (n=15) in single stimulation and (53.4±17.5) % (n=20) in combined stimulation for P14 rats which were long-term depression (t_s2=3.9, t_s1+s2=2.2; P<0.05) , and was increased (27.5±11.4) % (n=16) in single stimulation and (34.6±10.3) % (n=10) in combined stimulation for P20 rats which were long-term potentiation (t_s2=2.3, t_s1+s2=3.5; P<0.05) . Rats in different development period have a specific time window for input temporal changes. Combined stimulation patterns produced by the neuron cell reaction were not just an accumulation of simple response caused by single stimulation. For P14 rats, its time window was of about ±0.5ms. However, for P20 rats, scope of time window reduced to ±0.1ms. Conclusions: Different development period of rats, change the stimulation pattern can cause the change of the visual cortex synapses reaction, and stimulate the temporal change within a specific time window to producenonlinear results. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52: 936-940).

Individualized treatment models based on blood supply characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma using color Doppler hemodynamics

BACKGROUND/AIMS

We evaluated the long-term efficacy of the combination of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using cisplatin-lipiodol suspension, transultrasonic portal vein chemoembolization (SPVE), radiofrequency ablation (RF), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) for treatment of advanced small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODOLOGY

A total of three hundred and eighteen patients with HCC were enrolled in this study. According to the blood supply characteristics to the tumor, individual combined therapy models were adopted: one hundred and fifty-nine patients with HCC less than 5 cm were treated with a combination of RF and PEI (RF/PEI group) and one hundred and one patients with HCC greater than 5cm were treated with a combination of TACE, RF and PEI (TACE/RF/PEI group). One hundred and eleven HCC nodules confirmed to be hypervascular by color Doppler flow imaging were treated with a combination of TACE, RF, SPVE and PEI (TACE/ RF/SPVE/PEI group).

RESULTS

The combination treatment of RF and PEI (RF/PEI group), the TACE/RF/PEI group, TACE/ RF/SPVE/PEI group, the 1-year survival rates and the 3-year survival rates were 97.3% and 82.4%; 73.5% and 44.9%; 74.1% and 37.9%, respectively; The vanishing rate of blood flow around and within the tumor, the tumor size decrease rate, AFP transformed to negative rate, were significantly raised compared to those in the TACE treatment only group.

CONCLUSIONS

The individual combined therapy models combination of TACE, PEI, SPVE, RF appears to prolong survival, compared with one treatment alone (TACE). This combination therapy method is an effective way for treating HCC, and color Doppler can provide important information to verify the therapeutic effects.

Hypothalamic obesity in weanling rats

Bilateral hypothalamic lesions were placed in the ventromedial nuclei of 15 male weanling rats. Nine male littermates were used as controls. Food intake, body weight, and nose-occipital (N-O) length were followed for 90 days. Rats were killed on the 90th postoperative day and stomach weight, body fat content, and femur length were then measured. Although the daily food intake and the rate of body weight gain of the rats with lesions were comparable to those of their controls, all 15 operated rats became obese and their N-O and femur lengths were significantly shorter. It is concluded that hypothalamic obesity of weanling rats is associated with growth impairment.