Effect Of Different Concentrations Research Articles

The Effects of Cadmium Concentrations on Germination and Physiological Parameters in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Lam.)

Cadmium (Cd) is omnipresent trace element in environmental that is unessential in plants. Cd levels rise because of anthropogenic activity such as the combustion of fossil fuels, phosphate fertilizer manufacturing, mineral fertilizers, batteries technology. It is extremely toxic metal and reduces plant growth. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations (5/10/20/40 ppm) of Cd on germination of seeds and physiological effects in early developmental stage of tomato Solanum lycopersicum Lam. seedlings. 20 ppm (80%) and 40 ppm (83.3%) Cd concentrations caused significantly decrease in germination percentage. All Cd treatments were resulted with decrease in Vigor Index, especially in 20 ppm (42% decrease compared to control). Application of 5 ppm Cd caused decreases in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in seedlings. Finally, significant decrease in protein content of 5 ppm, 10 ppm and 20 ppm treated seedlings were determined compared to control. As a conclusion, Cd negatively affected germination and physiological parameters of tomato in early developmental stage. Overall, these results indicate that Cd affects different physiologic processes and pathways according to concentration.

Fluocinolone Acetonide Loaded Chitosan Nanofiber Scaffolds for Treatment of Ocular Disorders: In Vitro Characterization, Ex-Vivo Corneal and Ex-Vivo Scleral Evaluation

Purpose Drugs administered in the ocular region need to overcome ocular barriers without permanently damaging the ocular tissues. Moreover, ocular disorders of the posterior segment are more difficult to treat due to invasive procedures required to reach the posterior segment. Hence, to treat posterior disorders of the eye an attempt was made to develop nanofiber (NF) scaffolds for effective management of chronic posterior uveitis. Nanofibers (NFs) were formulated using the electrospinning technique. Methods NF scaffolds were formulated using the electrospinning technique. The effect of different concentrations of chitosan on NF production was studied by considering different ratios of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Physicochemical characterization of NFs was performed to evaluate developed NFs. Results The optimized NF scaffold had a diameter of 129 ± 3 nm. NF scaffolds were found to have a tensile strength of 0.2882 ± 0.078 N/m2, thickness of 0.16 ± 0.05 mm, and drug entrapment of 95 ± 2.0%. The bioadhesive strength of the NF was found to be 257.3 ± 0.04 g/cm2 indicating high bioadhesion of NFs to the ocular tissues. The in-vitro, ex-vivo corneal and ex-vivo scleral drug release after 12 h was found to be 78.4 ± 1.0%, 65.33 ± 0.2% and 78.41 ± 1.0%, respectively. Ex-vivo whole eye model experiment indicated a concentration of about 40 ± 1.75% of drug permeated from corneal layer to the vitreous humor after 12 h. The Hen’s egg test-chorioallantoic membrane study (HET-CAM) study and in-vitro cytotoxicity study on Statens Seruminstitut Rabbit Cornea (SIRC) cell lines indicated that the developed drug-loaded NF scaffolds were found to be non-toxic as compared to pure drug, thus suggesting cytocompatibility. Conclusion Results of HET-CAM, sterility and ex-vivo studies indicate that the developed formulation is non-toxic, sterile, and effective for the ocular delivery of fluocinolone acetonide to the posterior segment of eye.

Shuxuening Injection Inhibits Apoptosis and Reduces Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats through PI3K/AKT Pathway.

To investigate the main components and potential mechanism of Shuxuening Injection (SXNI) in the treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) through network pharmacology and in vivo research. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) and PharmMapper databases were used to extract and evaluate the effective components of Ginkgo biloba leaves, the main component of SXNI. The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and GeneCards databases were searched for disease targets and obtain the drug target and disease target intersections. The active ingredient-target network was built using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. The STRING database, Metascape online platform, and R language were used to obtain the key targets and signaling pathways of the anti-MIRI effects of SXNI. In order to verify the therapeutic effect of different concentrations of SXNI on MIRI in rats, 60 rats were first divided into 5 groups according to random number table method: the sham operation group, the model group, SXNI low-dose (3.68 mg/kg), medium-dose (7.35 mg/kg), and high-dose (14.7 mg/kg) groups, with 12 rats in each group. Then, another 60 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the sham operation group, the model group, SXNI group (14.7 mg/kg), SXNI+LY294002 group, and LY294002 group, with 12 rats in each group. The drug was then administered intraperitoneally at body weight for 14 days. The main biological processes were validated using in vivo testing. Evans blue/triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) double staining, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blot analysis were used to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of SXNI in MIRI rats. Eleven core targets and 30 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were selected. Among these, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (AKT) pathway was closely related to SXNI treatment of MIRI. In vivo experiments showed that SXNI reduced the myocardial infarction area in the model group, improved rat heart pathological damage, and reduced the cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate (all P<0.01). After SXNI treatment, the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT ratios as well as B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein expression in cardiomyocytes were increased, while the Bax and cleaved caspase 3 protein expression levels were decreased (all P<0.05). LY294002 partially reversed the protective effect of SXNI on MIRI. SXNI protects against MIRI by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Effect of Different Concentrations of Chitosan on Germination and Growth of Sweet Thai Basil

Sweet Thai basil, Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora is a medicinal plant that is widely used in many industries due to its richness in phytochemical contents. The present study was carried out to improve the germination growth and of sweet Thai basil. In the current research sweet Thai basil seeds were treated with different concentrations of chitosan (0, 2, 4 and 6 ml/L). The result showed that treatment at 4 ml/ L chitosan produced seed germination percentage 100, seed germination speed (1.51), vigor index (6.93) taller seedlings (7.69 cm in height), with bigger stem diameter (0.90 mm), leaf area (1.59 cm2/leaf), and root length (3.19 cm). However, 4 ml/L chitosan concentration was best compare to 0, 2 and 4 ml/L concentration of chitosan. On the other hand, it is recommended for the seeds of sweet Thai basil to be treated with 4 ml/L of chitosan with different plant density.

Risks of using mitoquinone during in vitro maturation and its potential protective effects against lipotoxicity-induced oocyte mitochondrial stress.

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction play central roles in reduced oocyte quality and infertility in obese patients. Mitochondria-targeted treatments containing co-enzyme Q10 such as mitoquinone (MitoQ) can increase mitochondrial antioxidative capacity; however, their safety and efficiency when supplemented to oocytes under lipotoxic conditions have not been described. We tested the effect of different concentrations of MitoQ or its cationic carrier (TPP) (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 μM each) during bovine oocyte IVM. Then, we tested the protective capacity of MitoQ (0.1 μM) against palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction in oocytes. Exposure to MitoQ, or TPP only, at 1 μM significantly (P<0.05) reduced oocyte mitochondrial inner membrane potential (JC-1 staining) and resulted in reduced cleavage and blastocyst rates compared with solvent control. Lower concentrations of MitoQ or TPP had no effects on embryo development under control (PA-free) conditions. As expected, PA increased the levels of MMP and ROS in oocytes (CellROX staining) and reduced cleavage and blastocyst rates compared with the controls (P<0.05). These negative effects were ameliorated by 0.1 μM MitoQ. In contrast, 0.1 μM TPP alone had no protective effects. MitoQ also normalized the expression of HSP10 and TFAM, and partially normalized HSP60 in the produced blastocysts, indicating at least a partial alleviation of PA-induced mitochondrial stress. Oocyte exposure to MitoQ may disturb mitochondrial bioenergetic functions and developmental capacity due to a TPP-induced cationic overload. A fine-tuned concentration of MitoQ can protect against lipotoxicity-induced mitochondrial stress during IVM and restore developmental competence and embryo quality.

Effect of Different Concentrations of Potassium Metabisulphite and Bavistin on Postharvest Life of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn var. Muzaffarpur)

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn var. Muzaffarpur) is cultivated in 57 districts of Nepal. However, proper post-harvest loss reduction activities are lacking, resulting in significant losses every year. In June 2023, an experiment on Litchi post-harvest was conducted at HRS, Malepatan. The Litchi fruits were uniformly mature and treated with varying concentrations of potassium metabisulfite (50, 75, 100, and 125 ppm) and Bavistin at 100 ppm. They were then stored at ambient conditions (29±4°C and RH 75±5%) for 10 days. The following parameters were recorded: physiological loss in weight (PLW), decay loss, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content (Vit-C), and fruit weight to juice ratio. The fruit that was treated with 50 ppm of potassium metabisulphite recorded the lowest PLW at 20.12%. The fruit treated with 125 ppm of potassium metabisulphite had a minimum decay loss of 23.08%. The control treatment had the highest TSS at 23.65% with a minimum TA of 0.50%. The fruit treated with 100 and 125 ppm of potassium metabisulphite had the maximum ascorbic acid content at 87 mg and 85 mg, respectively, and the highest fruit weight-to-juice ratio at -2.80 and 2.73, respectively. Therefore, this study concludes that applying potassium metabisulfite at a concentration of 100-125 ppm is suitable for postharvest treatment of Litchi fruit to prolong its shelf life and maintain its quality parameters.

Standardization of Meta-Topolin Concentration for Maximizing In vitro Proliferation in Commercial Banana Cultivars of Andhra Pradesh, India

Cytokinins are associated with cell division, cell growth, and differentiation, are the most common plant growth regulators used in micropropagation. Aromatic cytokinin, meta-topolin (mT), and its derivatives have been demonstrated as alternative cytokinins in the in vitro multiplication of various plants. Different banana cultivars differ in in vitro shoot proliferation due to the difference in endogenous growth regulator content among them. A study was conducted to figure out the effect of different concentrations of meta-topolin on in vitro shoot proliferation of banana cultivars like Karpura chakkera keli (AAB), Mortoman (AAB), and Kovvur Bontha (ABB). In vitro shoot proliferation was initiated from the first subculture (C1) itself at 1.5 ppm mT concentration in Mortoman, Kovvur Bontha, and from the second subculture (C2) at 1.0 ppm mT concentration in Kovvur Bontha. Whereas, at all other remaining concentrations, shoot proliferation of different cultivars was initiated from the third subculture (C3) only. At the end of the sixth subculture (C6), the maximum number of shoots per explant (82.70) was recorded in the Kovvur Bontha cultivar at 1.5 ppm mT concentration. Among the cultivars, the Kovvur Bontha cultivar responded better to the meta-topolin for shoot proliferation than Karpura chakkera keli (AAB) and Mortoman (AAB).

Simulation Study on the Effect of Iron Nanoparticles on Rhizospheric and Rhizoplane Microbes of Paddy (Oryza sativa) Plant

ABSTRACT Rhizospheric microbes play a crucial role in plant growth promotion. Due to advancements in technology, many nano fertilizers are now applied in the agricultural field. However, its effect on the microbial community is less explored. The present study examines the impact of iron (Fe) nanoparticles (INPs) on paddy rhizospheric (RS) and rhizoplanar (RP) microbes. The effect of different concentrations of INPs iron nanoparticles on the growth of rhizospheric and rhizoplanar microbes was observed by the plate count method. The results showed that bacterial and fungal counts were higher in control than all treatments on 15, 30, and 45 days after sowing seeding (DAS). Nitrogen-fixing bacteria were higher in control on 15 and 30 DAS; however, on 45 DAS, higher nitrogen-fixing bacteria were reported in T4. Phosphate solubilizing microbes were higher in all the treatments compared to the control. Siderophore-producing microbes were higher in control on 15 DAS compared to other treatments. However, after 30 and 45 DAS siderophore-producing microbes were higher in T4 than in control and other treatments. Thus, the results suggest that treatment − 4 (T4) (Seed + Soil +2 g/kg soil) was the best treatment and can be used for plant growth promotion of rice.

Interconnections of primary and secondary metabolites of Astragalus verus cells under selenium treatment

Selenium (Se) is a beneficial microelement with dose dependent effects on plants. At low concentrations, it stimulates antioxidant system but at high doses cause cell death. In the present study, the effects of different concentrations of Se (0, 0.5, 2.5, 12.5, and 62.5 μM) on metabolome of a cell line of Astragalus verus was evaluated. Seven-old days cells were treated with Se in the middle of their logarithmic growth phase for one week. Along with the increasing concentrations of Se, growth and total contents of soluble sugars and proteins, auxin and brassinosteroid decreased. However, the contents of ascorbate, glutathione, certain phenolics, free amino acids, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes increased. The results indicated the signaling role of monosaccharides and their synergistic behavior with auxin and brassinosteroid and critical functions of ascorbate and glutathione in response of A. verus to Se.

Effects of alpha-tocopherol antioxidant on fracture strength and adhesion of endodontically treated teeth restored after dental bleaching.

This study evaluated the effect of different concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in gel form on fracture strength, hybrid layer formation, and microtensile bond strength of endodontically treated teeth bleached with 40% hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ). Sixty bovine incisors were randomized into one of six groups (n=10 incisors per group) defined by the interventions carried out after endodontic treatment. In the control group, no additional intervention was carried out, while all teeth in the five intervention groups were bleached with 40% H2 O2 and subsequently treated with alpha-tocopherol at concentrations of 15% (15AT), 20% (20AT), or 25% (25AT), with 10% sodium ascorbate (10SA), or with nothing (40HP). Fracture strength was evaluated in a mechanical testing machine, hybrid layer formation was assessed using scanning electron microscopy, and bond strength was determined using microtensile bond-strength testing. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests. No statistically significant difference regarding fracture strength was observed among groups. Hybrid layer formation was greater in the 15AT group than in groups 40HP and 10SA. Teeth in groups 15AT, 20AT, and 25AT demonstrated higher bond strength than teeth in groups 40HP and 10SA. Alpha-tocopherol, preferably at 15%, effectively reverses the deleterious effects, of bleaching, on hybrid layer formation and bond strength to dentin.

Identification of Potential Factors for the Promotion of Fucoxanthin Synthesis by Methyl Jasmonic Acid Treatment of Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Fucoxanthin, a vital secondary metabolite produced by marine diatoms, has great economic value and research potential. However, its popularization and application have been greatly restricted due to its low content, difficult extraction, and high production cost. Methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA) exerts similar inductive hormones in the growth and development as well as metabolic processes of plants. In Phaeodactylum tricornutum (P. tricornutum), MeJA treatment can increase fucoxanthin content. In this study, the effects of different concentrations of MeJA on the cell growth and the fucoxanthin content of P. tricornutum were explored. Meanwhile, this study used high-throughput sequencing technology for transcriptome sequencing of P. tricornutum and subsequently performed differential gene expression analysis, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) for screening the hub genes for the promotion of fucoxanthin synthesis with MeJA-treated P. tricornutum. On this basis, the functions of the hub genes for the promotion of fucoxanthin synthesis with MeJA-treated P. tricornutum were further analyzed. The results revealed that the carotenoid synthesis-related genes PHATRDRAFT_54800 and PHATRDRAFT_20677 were the hub genes for the promotion of fucoxanthin synthesis with MeJA-treated P. tricornutum. PHATRDRAFT_54800 may be a carotenoid isomerase, while PHATRDRAFT_20677 may be involved in the MeJA-stimulated synthesis of fucoxanthin by exerting the role of SDR family NAD(P)-dependent oxidoreductases.

C4-HSL-mediated quorum sensing regulates nitrogen removal in activated sludge process at Low temperatures

The activated sludge process faces challenges in achieving adequate nitrification ability under low-temperature conditions. Therefore, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of exogenous N-butyryl-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL) on nitrogen removal in lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) at 10 °C. The results revealed that both 10 and 100 μg/L of C4-HSL could improve NH4+-N removal efficiency by 26% and reduce the effluent TN concentration to below 15 mg/L. Analysis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) revealed that adding C4-HSL (especially 100 μg/L) reduced the protein-like substance content while increasing the humic and fulvic acid-like substance content in EPS. Protein-like substances could serve as carbon sources for denitrifiers, thus promoting denitrification. Moreover, exogenous C4-HSL increased the abundance of bacteria and genes associated with nitrification and denitrification. Further analysis of quorum sensing (QS) of microorganisms indicated that exogenous C4-HSL (especially 100 μg/L) promoted regulation, transportation, and decomposition functions in the QS process. Furthermore, CS, sdh, fum, and mdh gene expressions involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were enhanced by 100 μg/L C4-HSL. Exogenous C4-HSL promoted microbial communication, microbial energy metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism, thereby improving the nitrogen removal efficiency of activated sludge systems at low temperatures. This study provides a feasible strategy for enhancing denitrogenation performance at low temperatures through exogenous C4-HSL.

Study on the effect of cationic latex on the properties of cement stabilized iron tailings

This paper introduces the feasibility of replacing natural aggregates with iron tailings (after magnetic separation) in cement stabilized macadam (CSM) for the construction of base courses of motor road pavements. In this paper, the effects of cationic latexes Butonal NS 198 and Butonal 5126 as modifying additives on the structure, strength properties, frost resistance and crack resistance of cement stabilized iron tailing (CSIT) were studied. The possibility of introducing latex additives into CSIT was demonstrated by the technique of initially dissolving the cationic latex additives in water and obtaining solutions with the required thermodynamic properties. The results of the research showed that the unconfined compressive strengths and splitting strengths were not sufficient to comprehensively evaluate the effects of different concentrations of cationic latex additives on CSIT. At the same time, the experimental results proved that the introduction of cationic latex into CSIT resulted in a significant increase in the frost resistance, maximum structural strength, and temperature crack resistance index of the material.

The impact of chitosan in experimental resin with different photoinitiator systems

Objectiveto investigate the effect of different concentrations of chitosan added to experimental resins containing either BAPO or camphorquinone (CQ) as photoinitiators, regarding degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength (FS), flexural elastic modulus (E), Knoop microhardness (KHN), cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and antimicrobial activity. MethodsExperimental resins with polymeric matrix of BisGMA and TEGDMA was added either 0.5 wt% BAPO or 0.5 wt% camphorquinone/0.2% amine along with and chitosan concentrations of 0.5%; 1.0% or 2.0%. Degree of conversion was measured using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Flexural strength and elastic modulus were obtained through three-point bending test and Knoop microhardness was measured in a microidenter. Direct cytotoxicity was performed in human keratinocytes and genotoxicity test was done in murine macrophages cells. Antimicrobial activity was acessed against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans through the inhibition halo. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey teste (α = 0.05). Results: The materials containing photoinitiator BAPO showed higher values of DC, FS, E, and KHN compared to resins with CQ. The addition of chitosan did not affect the properties of these materials. However, in resins containing CQ, the addition of chitosan improve these properties compared to control group. For the groups containing BAPO the chitosan reduced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity compared to materials with camphorquinone. The materials with 1.0% and 2.0% chitosan showed increased antibacterial activity in the materials containing BAPO as photoinitiator for both bacteria. Significance: The alternative photoinitiator BAPO and chitosan can improve physical and biological properties of photoactivated resins when compared with the materials with photoinitiator camphorquinone.

Physiological responses of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) to exogenous 2,4-epibrassinolide at different concentrations

BackgroundBrassinolide, known as the seventh plant hormone, can improve the photosynthetic capacity of plants, promote plant growth and development, promote the formation of horticultural crop yield, improve the quality of horticultural crops, and also improve the ability of plants to resist biological and abiotic stresses.ResultsThe effects of different concentrations of exogenously sprayed 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) on growth, physiological and photosynthetic characteristics of ‘All-round large leaf coriander’ were studied in substrate culture. The results showed that 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR promoted the growth of coriander and increased the aboveground fresh and dry weights, with 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR having the most significant effect. Spraying 0.1 mg.L− 1 EBR increased the content of soluble sugars and protein of coriander leaves. Spraying 0.1 and 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR significantly increased the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters of coriander leaves, and 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR also significantly increased the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of coriander leaves. Spraying 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR upregulated the expression of CsRbcS, CsFBPase, and CsAld. Correlation analysis showed that aboveground fresh weight under exogenous EBR treatment was significantly positively correlated with aboveground dry weight, plant height, Pn, Gs, Ci, and CsAld (P < 0.05), and soluble sugar content was significantly positively correlated with the number of leaves, Y(II), qP, and CsRbcS. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that there was a significant separation between the treatment and the control groups. Spraying 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR can promote the growth of coriander, improve the quality of coriander leaves, and strengthen coriander leaf photosynthetic capacity. This study provides new insights into the promotion of coriander growth and development following the application of exogenous EBR.ConclusionExogenous EBR treatment increased coriander plant height, leaf growth and aboveground dry weight, and enhanced photosynthesis. Exogenous spraying of 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR had the most significant effect.

A new role for resveratrol: Protection of enamel against erosion

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of different concentrations of resveratrol in protecting enamel against initial dental erosion in vitro. MethodsNinety bovine enamel samples (4 × 4 mm) were divided into six groups: Phosphate buffered saline (negative control; PBS), Commercial solution (Elmex Erosion Protection™; positive control) and resveratrol at 4 different concentrations (1, 10, 100 or 400 µg/mL). Initially, the samples were incubated in saliva for the formation of the acquired pellicle (250 µL, 1 h, 37 °C, 250 rpm). Afterward, the samples were incubated in the respective treatments (250 µL, 1 min, 37 °C, 250 rpm) and then reincubated in saliva (250 µL, 1 h, 37 °C, 250 rpm). Finally, the samples were subjected to an erosive challenge by incubating in 1 % citric acid (1 mL, pH 3.5, 1 min, 25 °C, 250 rpm). The percentage surface microhardness change (% SMC) was assessed using a microhardness tester. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests (p < 0.05). ResultsThe treatments with Elmex™ and resveratrol (1, 10 and 100 µg/mL) significantly protected enamel compared to the negative control, without significant differences among them. However, the group treated with the highest resveratrol concentration (400 µg/mL) did not show a significant difference from the negative control. ConclusionsResveratrol at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 µg/ml was effective in preventing loss of enamel surface microhardness. Clinical significanceThis result suggests a potential new direction for the development of dental products based on resveratrol for the prevention of dental erosion.

Octanoic acid-rich enteral nutrition attenuated hypercatabolism through the acylated ghrelin-POMC pathway in endotoxemic rats

ObjectivesMetabolic disorders and no response to intravenous nutrition because of sepsis have been urgent problems for clinical nutrition support. Enteral nutrition (EN) has been an important clinical therapeutic measure in septic patients; however, simple EN has not demonstrated good performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of octanoic acid (OA)-rich EN on hypercatabolism in endotoxemic rats and test whether OA-rich EN could attenuate hypercatabolism through the acylated ghrelin-proopiomelanocortin (POMC) pathway. MethodsRats were randomly divided into six groups: sham, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS + EN and LPS + EN + OA (0.25, 0.5, and 1 g/kg, respectively) groups to investigate the effects of different concentrations of OA-rich EN on hypercatabolism in endotoxemic rats. The rats were then randomly divided into four groups: sham, LPS, LPS + OA, and LPS + OA + Go-CoA-Tat, to test whether OA-rich EN attenuated hypercatabolism through the acylated ghrelin-POMC pathway. Rats received nutrition support via a gastric tube for 3 d (100 kcal/kg daily). Insulin resistance, muscle protein synthesis and atrophy, inflammatory cytokines, ghrelin in circulation and hypothalamus, ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT), and the adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-autophagy-POMC pathway were measured. ResultsCompared with simple EN, OA-rich EN promoted the acylation of ghrelin in a dose-dependent manner and attenuated POMC-mediated hypercatabolism in endotoxemic rats. Inhibition of GOAT activity decreased the level of acylated ghrelin and aggravated POMC-mediated hypercatabolism conferred by OA-rich EN. ConclusionsOA-rich EN could increase the level of acylated ghrelin and attenuate hypercatabolism through the acylated ghrelin-POMC pathway compared with simple EN in endotoxemic rats.

Crude Saponins from Chenopodium quinoa Willd. Reduce Fusarium Wilt Infection in Tomato Seedlings

Quinoa saponins are pentacyclic triterpene compounds composed of one triterpenoid glycoside and two different sugar chains. Previous studies have showed that natural quinoa saponins showed little or no antifungal activity, and there are few reports about their antifungal effects in recent decades. Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) is the most serious for tomatoes in the field and under greenhouse conditions. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different concentrations and application modes of crude saponins from quinoa bran against the causal pathogen of tomato wilt under a greenhouse experiment. The results showed that the anti-FOL activity of quinoa saponins was weak in vitro, but significantly enhanced in vivo. Tomato seeds and seedlings treated with solution of quinoa saponins at 0.5 and 1.0 g/L significantly reduced the disease incidence (%) of tomato Fusarium wilt. The treatment types of saponin solution have influence on the preventive effects (%) of tomato seedlings against Fusarium wilt, among them, root soaking &gt; foliar spray &gt; seed soaking. The treatment of seed soaking with quinoa saponins inhibited germination of tomato seeds to some extent. However, the germination rate of tomato seeds after saponin soaking was comparable to the chemical pesticide (thiram carboxin); therefore, it could be used to control tomato wilt disease. This is due to the fact that the antifungal activity of quinoa saponins in vivo was much higher than that in vitro when the saponin concentration was between 0.5–1.0 g/L, indicating that the antifungal activity of quinoa saponins may be achieved mainly by inducing resistance. This investigation supports the potential use of quinoa saponins as a supplier of antifungal compounds, and could be the foundation for a future study examining the use of quinoa bran as a new resource against FOL.

Protection of Whey Polypeptide on the Lipid Oxidation, Color, and Textural Stability of Frozen-Thawed Spanish Mackerel Surimi.

Repeated freeze-thaw (FT) cycles can have an impact on surimi quality. In this study, we used 0.02% BHA as a positive control group. We examined the effects of different concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) on surimi, focusing on alterations in color metrics (L* for brightness, a* for red-green, b* for yellow-blue, and overall whiteness), textural characteristics, and antioxidant capacity during various freeze-thaw (FT) cycles. The results showed that the lipid oxidant values of surimi, as well as its a* and b* values, rose as the number of FT cycles increased; whereas the adhesiveness, resilience, gumminess, and shear force dropped, as did L* and the whiteness values, leading to an overall darkening of color and gloss. By contrast, the study found that the addition of WPH could effectively slow down the decrease of surimi textural stability after repeated freeze-thawing, with the textural stability of the group with 15% WPH being significantly superior to those of the other groups (p < 0.05). Under the same number of cycles, adding 15% WPH to the experimental group could successfully lower total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and effectively increase the antioxidant activity of surimi. This finding suggested that 15% WPH had the greatest effect on increasing surimi FT stability. To conclude, it was proved that WPH can be added to frozen surimi and improve its quality.

Comprehensive analysis of effects of magnetic nanoparticles on aerobic granulation and microbial community composition: From the perspective of acyl-homoserine lactones mediated communication

As dosing additives benefit for aerobic granular sludge (AGS) cultivation, effects of different concentrations (0, 10, 50 and 100 mg/L) of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) on aerobic granulation, contaminant removal and potential microbial community evolution related to acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) mediated bacterial communication were investigated with municipal wastewater. Results showed that the required time to achieve granulation ratio > 70 % was reduced by 60, 90 and 30 days in phase II with addition of 10, 50, 100 mg/L Fe3O4 NPs, respectively. 50 mg/L Fe3O4 NPs can improve contaminant removal efficiency. The promotion of relative abundance of AHLs-producing and AHLs-producing/quenching populations and AHLs-related functional genes accompanied with faster granulation. Iron-cycling-related bacteria were closely related with AHLs-related bacteria during AGS formation. Co-occurrence network analyses showed that AHLs-mediated communication may play an important role in coordinating microbial community composition and functional bacteria participating in nitrogen and polyphosphate metabolisms during aerobic granulation process.