The Ability of Nuclease-Resistant RNA Aptamer against Streptococcus suis Serotype 2, Strain P1/7 to Reduce Biofilm Formation In Vitro

Streptococcus suis, a Gram-positive bacterium, is an important swine and human pathogen, with serotype 2 being the most prevalent strain found worldwide. Deafness, meningitis, and death (in severe cases) are observed in S. suis-infected cases. Development of the ligands that can bind to S. suis with high affinity and specificity could be beneficial for the diagnosis and treatment of S. suis infection. Herein, the nuclease-resistant RNA aptamers based on 2′-fluoropyrimidine modification against S. suis serotype 2, strain P1/7, were established using the cell- Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) technique. One of the aptamers, R8-su12, could bind to the S. suis target strain as well as other S. suis serotypes, i.e., 1, 1/2, 9, and 14, but not to other bacteria tested, i.e., S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Moreover, the R8-su12 RNA aptamer was also capable of inhibiting the biofilm formation of the S. suis target strain, making it potentially useful for the study of biofilm formation and the treatment of S. suis infection in humans and pigs in the future.     

Inhibitory Effect of LGS and ODE Isolated from the Twigs of Syringa oblata subsp. dilatata on RANKL-Induced Osteoclastogenesis in Macrophage Cells

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts play a pivotal role in maintaining bone homeostasis, of which excessive bone resorption by osteoclasts can cause osteoporosis and various bone diseases. However, current osteoporosis treatments have many side effects, and research on new treatments that can replace these treatments is ongoing. Therefore, in this study, the roles of ligustroside (LGS) and oleoside dimethylester (ODE), a natural product-derived compound isolated from Syringa oblata subsp. dilatata as a novel, natural product-derived osteoporosis treatments were investigated. In the results of this study, LGS and ODE inhibited the differentiation of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL)-induced RAW264.7 cells into osteoclasts without cytotoxicity, and down-regulated the activity of TRAP, a specific biomarker of osteoclasts. In addition, it inhibited bone resorption and actin ring formation, which are important functions and features of osteoclasts. Also, the effects of LGS and ODE on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B (NF-κB) and phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (Akt)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways that play important roles in osteoclast differentiation were evaluated. In the results, LGS and ODE downregulated the phosphorylation of RANKL-induced MAPK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR proteins in a concentration-dependent manner, translocation of NF-κB into the nucleus was inhibited. As a result, the compounds LGS and ODE isolated from S. oblate subsp. dilatata effectively regulated the differentiation of RANKL-induced osteoclasts and inhibited the phosphorylation of signaling pathways that play a pivotal role in osteoclast differentiation. Therefore, these results suggest the possibility of LGS and ODE as new natural product treatments for bone diseases caused by excessive osteoclasts.     

移动子窗口搜索法在紫丁香挥发油气相色谱-质谱分析中的应用

基于气相色谱-质谱仪产生的二维数据，采用移动子窗口搜索法，以纯组分峰为标准对同一样品在不同色谱柱上或不同样品在相同色谱柱上所获得的总离子流图的一定保留时间范围内搜索，可以得到目标化合物的流出区域，取其中点作为保留时间，从而计算各化合物在不同极性色谱柱上的程序升温保留指数。采用GC-MS与色谱保留指数相结合的方法，分别在HP-5MS和DB-35MS柱上，于80℃～290℃（4℃／min）的升温程序下，对黑龙江产紫丁香花蕾与花挥发油的分析结果表明，辅以化学计量学方法和双柱色谱保留指数定性比单用GC-MS定性结果更加快速可靠。     

Synthesis,Molecular Docking,and Biofilm Formation Inhibitory Activity of Bis(Indolyl)Pyridines Analogues of the Marine Alkaloid Nortopsentin

An efficient and simple protocol for the synthesis of a new class of diverse bis(indolyl)pyridines analogues of the marine alkaloid nortopsentin has been reported. A one-pot four-component condensation of 3-cyanocarbomethylindole, various aldehyde, 3-acetylindole, and ammonium acetate in glacial acetic acid led to the formation of 2,6-bis(1H-indol-3-yl)-4-(substituted-phenyl)pyridine-5-carbonitriles. Additionally, 2,6-bis(1H-indol-3-yl)-4-(benzofuran) pyridine-5-carbonitriles were prepared via a one-pot four-component condensation of 3-cyanocarbomethylindole, various N-substituted-indole-3-aldehydes, 2-acetylbenzofuran, and ammonium acetate. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit biofilm formation against the Gram-positive bacterial reference strains Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and the Gram-negative strain Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. Some of the new compounds showed a marked selectivity against the Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Remarkably, five compounds 4b, 7a, 7c, 7d and 8e demonstrated good antibiofilm formation against S. aureus and E. coli. On the other hand, the release of reducing sugars and proteins from the treated bacterial strains over the untreated strains was considered to explain the disruption effect of the selected compound on the contact cells of S. aureus and E. coli. Out of all studied compounds, the binding energies and binding mode of bis-indole derivatives 7c and 7d were theoretically the best thymidylate kinase, DNA gyrase B and DNA topoisomerase IV subunit B inhibitors.     

Effect of Cyclodextrins on the Biofilm Formation Capacity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Quorum sensing (QS) is a population-density-dependent communication process of microorganisms to coordinate their activities by producing and detecting low-molecular-weight signal molecules. In pathogenic bacteria, the property controlled by QS is often related to infectivity, e.g., biofilm formation. Molecular encapsulation of the QS signals is an innovative method to prevent the signals binding to the receptors and to attenuate QS. Cyclodextrins (CDs) may form an inclusion complex with the signals, thus reducing the communication (quorum quenching, QQ). A systematic study was performed with α-, β-cyclodextrin, and their random methylated, quaternary amino and polymer derivatives to evaluate and compare their effects on the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To examine the concentration-, temperature- and time-dependency of the QQ effect, the CDs were applied at a 0.1–12.5 mM concentration range, and biofilm formation was studied after 6, 24, 48 and 72 h at 22 and 30 °C. According to the results, the QS mechanism was significantly inhibited; the size of the cavity, the structure of the substituents, as well as the monomeric or polymeric character together with the concentration of the CDs have been identified as key influencing factors of biofilm formation. Statistically determined effective concentration values demonstrated outstanding efficiency (higher than 80% inhibition) of α-CD and its random methylated and polymer derivatives both on the short and long term. In summary, the potential value of CDs as inhibitors of QS should be considered since the inhibition of biofilm formation could significantly impact human health and the environment.     

Effect of Ultrasound-Assisted,Microwave-Assisted and Ultrasound-Microwave-Assisted Extraction on Pectin Extraction from Industrial Tomato Waste

This work aimed to study the effect of ultrasound-assisted (UAE), microwave-assisted (MAE), and ultrasound-microwave-assisted (UMAE) methods for pectin extraction from industrial tomato waste. The overall performance index from the fuzzy analytical method with three criteria, pectin yield, galacturonic acid, and lycopene content, was applied to evaluate the best extraction conditions by using the weight of 75, 20, and 5, respectively. The UAE conditions was performed at a temperature of 80 °C for 20 min with the variations in the extraction pH and the solid liquid (SL) ratio. The best UAE conditions with high pectin yield, and high total carboxyl group, as well as a lycopene content, was the pH of 1.5 and the SL ratio of 1:30. The MAE conditions was performed with variations in the microwave powers and times. The results showed that the best MAE conditions were 300 W for 10 min, which gave high pectin yield with high galacturonic acid and lycopene content. Various conditions of UMAE at the best conditions of MAE and UAE were performed and exhibited that the UAE had more positively affected the pectin yield. However, the FTIR spectra of obtained pectins from different extraction techniques showed a similar pectin structure.     

Isolation of Phenolic Compounds from Raspberry Based on Molecular Imprinting Techniques and Investigation of Their Anti-Alzheimer’s Disease Properties

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized by memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. Raspberry fruits contain polyphenols which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we used molecular imprinting technology to efficiently isolate phenolic components from the raspberry ethyl acetate extracts. Six phenolic components (ellagic acid, tiliroside, kaempferol-3-o-rutoside, gallic acid, ferulic acid and vanillic acid) were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis. Molecular docking was used to predict the anti-inflammatory effects and anti-Alzheimer’s potential of these isolated compounds, which showed a good binding ability to diseases and related proteins. However, the binding energy and docking fraction of ellagic acid, tiliroside, and kaempferol-3-o-rutoside were better than those of gallic acid, ferulic acid and vanillic acid. Additionally, by studying the effects of these six phenolic components on the LPS-induced secretion of inflammatory mediators in murine microglial (BV2) cells, it was further demonstrated that they were all capable of inhibiting the secretion of NO, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β to a certain extent. However, ellagic acid, tiliroside, and kaempferol-3-o-rutoside have better inhibitory effects compared to others. The results obtained suggest that the phenolic components extracted from ethyl acetate extracts of raspberry by molecularly imprinted polymers have the potential to inhibit the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.     

Effect of Extraction Procedures with Ultrasound and Cellulolytic Enzymes on the Structural and Functional Properties of Citrus grandis Osbeck Seed Mucilage

The structural and functional properties of Citrus grandis Osbeck (CGO) seed mucilage by different extraction practices, including conventional citrate buffer, ultrasonic-assisted (UAE), enzymatic-assisted extraction (EAE) with cellulase or Celluclast^® 1.5 L and various ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) procedures were investigated. It was found that CGO seed from agricultural and processing byproducts is an excellent new source of high methoxyl pectin with quite high intrinsic viscosity (about 108.64 dL/g) and molecular weight (about 1.9 × 10⁶) as compared with other pectin sources. UAEE with Celluclast^® 1.5 L enhanced the extraction yield most pronouncedly (about 2.3 times). Moreover, the monosaccharide composition of CGO seed mucilage is least affected by EAE with Celluclast^® 1.5 L. In contrast, EAE with cellulase dramatically reduces the galacturonic acid (GalA) content to less than 60 molar%, and increases the glucose (Glc) content pronouncedly (to about 40 molar%), which may be considered as an adverse effect in terms of pectin purity. Though extraction procedures involved with ultrasound and cellulolytic enzymes generally show a decrease in GalA contents, weight average molar mass and intrinsic viscosity, EAE with Celluclast^® 1.5 L is least affected, followed by UAE and UAEE with Celluclast^® 1.5 L. These features can be leveraged in favor of diversified applications.     

Effect of Temperature on the Catalytic Ability of Electrochemically Active Biofilm as Anode Catalyst in Microbial Fuel Cells

In this study we report the effect of temperature on the catalytic ability of an electrochemically active biofilm based on mixed‐culture to oxidize acetate and found the optimum temperature showing maximal catalytic activity and power output. Electrochemical characterization of biofilm and power output and internal resistance of microbial fuel cell (MFC) have been investigated at different temperatures. When temperature increased from 30 to 45 °C the catalytic ability of biofilms to oxidize acetate increased following the Arrhenius law with apparent activation energy of 44.85 kJ/mol. At temperatures higher than 48 °C, however, the bioelectrocatalytic current decreased. At 53 °C the bacterial metabolism was in inactivation. The optimum working temperature of the biofilm was 45 °C, producing current of 1339 µA cm^?2. This current was almost three times higher than 527 µA cm^?2 at 30 °C. The MFC performance at different temperatures showed consistent temperature dependence to that of a semi‐batch cell, which implies that anode catalytic ability in MFC is the main limit factor for increasing power output. A maximum power output of 1065 mW m^?2 was also observed at 45 °C and it was 1.5 times higher than 764 mW m^?2 at 30 °C. The increased MFC performance from 30 °C to 45 °C is lower in comparison with about three times higher increase in semi‐batch cells. This could be due to other factors such as proton migration rate in membrane of MFC, which can be seen from that the internal resistance value of 121.5 Ω in the MFC at 45 °C was only slightly lower than 177.6 Ω at 30 °C. Also, some other factors such as cell configuration which would limit the power output and can be further optimized. This work contributes to the study of influence from temperature on anodic electrochemically active biofilm activity and their subsequent influence on MFC performance and reports the optimal temperature for biofilm activity based on mixed‐culture.     

Effect of albumin on the aggregation of deuteroporphyrin in aqueous organic medium

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Molecular Insight into the Binding of Astilbin with Human Serum Albumin and Its Effect on Antioxidant Characteristics of Astilbin

Astilbin is a dihydroflavonol glycoside identified in many natural plants and functional food with promising biological activities which is used as an antioxidant in the pharmaceutical and food fields. This work investigated the interaction between astilbin and human serum albumin (HSA) and their effects on the antioxidant activity of astilbin by multi-spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies. The experimental results show that astilbin quenches the fluorescence emission of HSA through a static quenching mechanism. Astilbin and HSA prefer to bind at the Site Ⅰ position, which is mainly maintained by electrostatic force, hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Multi-spectroscopic and MD results indicate that the secondary structure of HSA could be changed because of the interaction of astilbin with HSA. DPPH radical scavenging assay shows that the presence of HSA reduces the antioxidant capacity of astilbin. The explication of astilbin–HSA binding mechanism will provide insights into clinical use and resource development of astilbin in food and pharmaceutical industries.     

溶解有机质对光照自然水体生物膜体系中H2O2生成的影响

通过模拟实验研究了生物膜胞外聚合物(EPS)和乙二胺四乙酸(EDTA) 2种典型溶解有机质(DOM)成分对自然水体生物膜体系中过氧化氢(H₂O₂)生成特征的影响, 并研究了体系初始pH值、 DOM浓度、 溶解氧(DO)等因素的影响. 结果表明, DOM的存在对自然水体生物膜体系中H₂O₂的生成有明显影响. 光照能促使EPS产生H₂O₂, 而EPS的存在对生物膜产生H₂O₂的直接影响不显著, EPS与生物膜共存体系中的H₂O₂由二者共同产生; EDTA本身不产生H₂O₂, 且对H₂O₂分解影响很小, 但会显著抑制生物膜产生H₂O₂, 且浓度越高抑制作用越明显. 体系pH值、 DOM浓度和DO均能不同程度影响EPS产生H₂O₂及EDTA抑制生物膜产生H₂O₂的作用.     

双水相提取新疆圆柏果实中的总黄酮及抑制亚硝化反应的研究

本文采用超声集成丙醇-硫酸铵双水相体系提取新疆圆柏果实中总黄酮,并用分光光度法测定其含量。探讨了丙醇-硫酸铵双水相(醇-水)体系的形成及提取条件对总黄酮得率的影响,得到的最优条件为:醇-水比0.8∶1,硫酸铵的量8g,料液比1∶50;超声时间40min。结果表明,该方法可有效地从新疆圆柏实中提取总黄酮,在最优条件下提取率为11.33mg/g。在此条件下,圆柏果实总黄酮提取液对亚硝化反应的抑制能力接近抗坏血酸。     

结合分子模拟探讨PC脂肪酶催化PBS基共聚物降解的主链异构效应

采用固定化洋葱假单胞菌脂肪酶(Pseudomonas cepacia lipase,PC脂肪酶)为催化剂,在有机溶剂体系中研究了环己烷二甲醇和环己烷二甲酸对聚丁二酸丁二醇酯(PBS)的改性共聚物,即聚(丁二酸丁二醇-co-丁二酸环己烷二甲醇酯)(PBS-co-CHDMS)和聚(丁二酸丁二醇-co-环己烷二甲酸丁二醇酯)(PBS-co-BCHDA)的降解规律及其差异性.通过共聚物降解率随时间的变化、降解产物的MALDI-TOF-MS分析研究了共聚物降解规律,并以分子模拟分别研究了降解差异性和PC脂肪酶与底物的结合机制.研究结果表明,PC脂肪酶均可催化PBS基共聚物降解;在降解60 h后,相比较于PBS-co-BCHDA,PBS-co-CHDMS降解率均更大;其中PBS-co-10%CHDMS降解率最大,为85%.共聚物降解不仅生成了线型小分子,还产生了部分环状低聚物;此外,PBS-co-CHDMS降解产生的低聚物种类比PBS-co-BCHDA的要多.分子对接模拟结果表明,在氯仿中,PC脂肪酶与底物结合自由能的大小顺序为CMSCMBSCMBCABBSB,即含有丁二酸环己烷二甲醇酯(CHDMS)单元的底物与PC脂肪酶活性位点的对接更为稳定.     

聚氧乙烯山梨醇酐脂肪酸酯乳化剂对聚氧乙烯(10)油基醚胶束形成的影响

通过平衡表面张力的测定,研究了聚氧乙烯山梨醇酐脂肪酸酯（Tween）系列与聚氧乙烯(10)油基醚（Brij97）混合胶束形成的相互作用参数βm、分子交换能εm及热力学参数（ΔGom、ΔHom、ΔSom）,并探讨了Tween系列分子结构、混合体系的组成及温度对胶束形成的影响。 研究表明,随着Tween碳链的增大,混合胶束中Tween的摩尔分数Xm1增大,协同效应增强;在Tween60/Brij97混合胶束中,ΔGom随着Tween60摩尔分数（α1）的增大而增大;在混合胶束形成中,α1≤0.33时,两组分表现出协同效应;在α1＞0.33时,未表现出协同效应;温度对Tween60/Brij97混合体系的影响表明,温度升高,CMC和ΔGom减小,ΔHom和ΔSom增大,协同效应减弱。     

A Comparison Study on Polysaccharides Extracted from Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz. Using Different Methods: Structural Characterization and Anti-SGC-7901 Effect of Combination with Apatinib

For hundreds of years, Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz. (AK) has been widely used as a treatment for spleen and stomach diseases in China. The AK polysaccharides (AKPs) have been thought to be the important bioactive components. In this stud, the impacts of different extraction methods were analyzed. The differences between AKPs extracted by hot water extraction (HWE), AKPs extracted by ultrasonic extraction (UAE), and AKPs extracted by enzyme extraction (EAE) were compared in terms of yield, total carbohydrate content, molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, and synergistic activity of the AKPs with apatinib were determined. The results indicated that the yield of the polysaccharide obtained from HWE was higher than that of UAE and EAE. However, activity assays indicated that UAE-AKPs and HWE-AKPs enhanced apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells (SGC-7901) treated with apatinib and UAE-AKPs showed the strongest synergistic activities. This is also in agreement with the fact that UAE-AKPs have a smaller molecular weight, β-configuration, and higher galactose content. These findings suggested that UAE is an efficient and environmentally friendly method for producing new polysaccharides from Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz. for the development of natural synergist and for the treatment of gastric cancer.     

Inhibitory Effect of Nepeta deflersiana on Climax Bacterial Community Isolated from the Oral Plaque of Patients with Periodontal Disease

Background: The red-complex bacteria are one of the most significant complexes found simultaneously in subgingival plaque next to the periodontal pocket. The current antibacterial treatment is not adequate, and multidrug resistance to it is developing. Henceforth, the antibacterial effect of the ethanolic extract of Nepeta deflersiana was put to test against red-complex bacteria in patients with chronic periodontitis. Methods: Well diffusion and micro broth dilution procedure by Alamar blue were applied to assess the zone of inhibition (ZOI), the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Anti-virulence efficacies of the plant extract that comprise of adherence and formation of biofilms were examined by the process of adherence and biofilm production assay. Results: The crude extract of Nepeta deflersiana exhibited significant inhibitory outcome against periodontopathic bacteria with noteworthy MIC (0.78–3.12 mg/mL), inhibitory zone (12–20 mm), as well as MBC (3.12–12.50 mg/mL). The N. deflersiana extract inhibited bacterial adhesion ranging from 41% to 52%, 53% to 66%, and 60% to 79% at the given MIC × 0.5, MIC × 1, and MIC × 2 in succession. Substantial suppression was also developed in the biofilm production of the investigated periodontopathic strains following exposure to numerous concentrations of N. deflersianan extract for a period of 24 and 48 h. Conclusion: These outcomes divulge a new concept that N. deflersiana extract can be utilized to manufacture valuable antibacterial compounds to treat chronic and acute periodontitis. This identifies N. deflersiana as an essential natural source for future drug development.     

电解质对聚合物分子尺寸、结构形态和渗流特性影响研究

利用动态光散射（DLS）、扫描电镜（SEM）、表观黏度和岩心流动实验等方法,研究了电解质对聚合物分子线团尺寸、结构形态和渗流特性的影响。结果表明,随电解质浓度增大,聚合物分子线团尺寸呈现“减小、增大和再减小”变化趋势。在Ca2+、Mg2+和Na+三种离子中,Ca2+和Mg2+离子对聚合物分子双电层压缩作用更强,因而对聚合物溶液黏度和线团尺寸及其分布影响更大。随着溶剂水电解质浓度的增加,聚合物分子结构形态逐渐由多层次立体无规网状向树枝状和支状转化。在聚合物驱后的后续水驱过程中,注入压力大小受滞留聚合物采出量和仍滞留聚合物分子线团膨胀两因素的影响。聚合物相对分子质量愈大,电解质对聚合物分子线团压缩或和膨胀作用愈强,后续水驱过程中压力升高幅度愈大。聚合物驱和后续水驱所用水的电解质浓度差异愈大,后续水驱阶段压力升高幅度愈大。因此在油田聚合物驱油方案设计时,建议适当增加聚合物驱和后续水驱所用水的电解质浓度差异,这对改善聚合物驱增油效果十分有利。     

Effect of alkyl side chain length on the properties of polyetherimides from molecular simulation combined with experimental results

Three polyetherimides (PEIs) with the same backbone of Ultem 100 but different lengths of the alkyl side chains were simulated by using molecular dynamics and molecular mechanics techniques to investigate the effect of side chain length on their properties and physical mechanism behind. Simulation results, which are consistent to the experimental data, show that PEI‐5 with four methylene units in each alkyl side chain has higher T_g (glass transition temperature) and higher tensile strength, but lower tensile elongation at break than those of PEI‐6 with five and PEI‐8 with seven methylene units in each alkyl side chain. However, unlike the traditional phenomena, conformational analysis provides that PEI‐5 with the highest T_g gives the highest flexibility to the polymer chain, whereas PEI‐8 with the lowest T_g imparts the lowest flexibility resulting from attachment of longer alkyl side chain increase the rigidity of backbone. From the calculated ratio of the accessible volume to the total volume for each system, the highest ratio of PEI‐8 indicates that long alkyl side chains generate more free volume than short side chains, acting as an internal plasticizer in bulk structure. It is the internal plasticizing effect that is predominantly responsible for the abnormal properties, instead of the rigidity from side chains. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 595–599, 2010