Search Results (9)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of solid-state fermented commercial pelleted feed with Lactobacillus plantarum on growth performance, digestive physiology, antioxidant, and immune capacity, as well as morphology and microbiota in intestinal of Tachysurus fulvidraco. A total of 420 fish (49.96 ± 7.10 g) were randomly allocated to twelve 300 L buckets for a 60 d farming trial. The diets of three treatments were established: the untreated commercial diet (UCD), the commercial diet mixed with fermented liquid (MFLD), and the solid-state fermented commercial diet (SSFD). The results indicated that SSFD treatment had a significant positive effect on the growth performance of T. fulvidraco, with an increase of 15.69% to 16.57% (p < 0.05) compared with UCD and MFLD treatments. MFLD and SSFD treatments also showed higher total anti-oxygen capacity, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in the intestine significantly compared with UCD treatment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the activities of alkaline phosphatase and lysozyme activities both in the liver and intestine were significantly higher in MFLD and SSFD treatments than in UCD treatment (p < 0.05). The villus height in the midintestine was also greater in MFLD and SSFD treatments compared with UCD treatment (p < 0.05). Regarding the intestinal microbiota, the dominant bacteria in UCD treatment was Cetobacterium, with the highest abundance in whole intestinal segments. However, in MFLD and SSFD treatments, the abundance of Cetobacterium in the foreintestine significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study elucidates that solid-state fermentation feed may not only improve the digestive capacity, antioxidant ability, immune function, and intestinal morphology of T. fulvidraco to enhance growth performance but also influence intestinal microbial composition. These findings provide beneficial proof for developing fermented feed of T. fulvidraco. Full article

The development of biological macromolecule hydrogel dressings with fatigue resistance, sufficient mechanical strength, and versatility in clinical treatment is critical for accelerating full-thickness healing of skin wounds. Therefore, in this study, multifunctional, biological macromolecule hydrogels based on a recombinant type I collagen/chitosan scaffold incorporated with a metal–polyphenol structure were fabricated to accelerate wound healing. The resulting biological macromolecule hydrogel possesses sufficient mechanical strength, fatigue resistance, and healing properties, including antibacterial, antioxygenic, self-healing, vascularization, hemostatic, and adhesive abilities. Chitosan and recombinant type I collagen formed the scaffold network, which was the first covalent crosslinking network of the hydrogel. The second physical crosslinking network comprised the coordination of a metal–polyphenol structure, i.e., Cu²⁺ with the catechol group of dopamine methacrylamide (DMA) and stacking of DMA benzene rings. Double-crosslinked networks are interspersed and intertwined in the hydrogel to reduce the mechanical strength and increase its fatigue resistance, making it more suitable for clinical applications. Moreover, the biological macromolecule hydrogel can continuously release Cu²⁺, which provides strong antibacterial and vascularization properties. An in vivo full-thickness skin defect model confirmed that multifunctional, biological macromolecule hydrogels based on a recombinant type I collagen/chitosan scaffold incorporated with a metal–polyphenol structure can facilitate the formation of granulation tissue and collagen deposition for a short period to promote wound healing. This study highlights that this biological macromolecule hydrogel is a promising acute wound-healing dressing for biomedical applications. Full article

The dispersion of nanomaterials in lubricating oil plays an important role in the lubrication and wear-resistance properties. In this work, supramolecular layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were prepared and added to lubricating oil with different dispersants. The content of key elements in the samples was measured by an oil element analyzer, and the dispersion properties of different samples were studied. The friction coefficient of the samples was measured by high-frequency linear vibration (SRV), and the morphology and composition were characterized by SEM to study the antiwear performance and action mechanism of LDH. The oxidation induction time of the samples was measured by RBOT to study the antioxygenic properties of LDH in lubricating oil. The results show that LDH can be well-dispersed in lubricating oil with the action of specific dispersants. After adding LDH, the antiwear performance of lubricating oil was improved, as a uniform and dense protective film was formed on the friction surface. Full article

Hydrogels have been widespreadly used in various fields. But weak toughness has limited their further applications. In this study, Dendrobium officinale enzyme (DOE) was explored to improve chitosan/γ-poly(glutamic acid) (CS/γ-PGA) hydrogel in the structure and properties. The results indicated that DOE with various sizes of ingredients can make multiple noncovalent crosslinks with the skeleton network of CS/γ-PGA, significantly changing the self-assembly of CS/γ-PGA/DOE hydrogel to form regular protuberance nanostructures, which exhibits stronger toughness and better behaviors for skin care. Particularly, 4% DOE enhanced the toughness of CS/γ-PGA/DOE hydrogel, increasing it by 116%. Meanwhile, water absorption, antioxygenation, antibacterial behavior and air permeability were increased by 39%, 97%, 27% and 52%. Full article

Fatty acids are known for their regulatory role in inflammation and oxidative stress. The present study investigated 38 calves born from dams, abomasally supplemented with coconut oil, essential fatty acids (EFA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) or EFA + CLA, according to immunological traits and the oxidative and anti-oxidative status for the first 5 days of life. On day 2 of life, plasma total bilirubin, cholesterol, interleukin 1-β and ferric ion reducing anti-oxygen power (FRAP) were lower in calves with than without maternal EFA supplementation, and FRAP additionally on day 4. On day 3, the concentrations of reactive oxygen metabolites were higher in calves with than without maternal EFA supplementation and additionally on day 5 together of retinol. Total leucocyte counts were decreased in the EFA group compared to the CLA group on day 5. Lymphocyte proportions decreased from day 1 to 5 only in the EFA + CLA group. On day 2, plasma total protein was higher in CLA and EFA + CLA than in EFA calves. Similarly, CLA calves had higher interleukin 1-β concentrations compared to EFA + CLA calves. FRAP was decreased by CLA on day 4. Overall, the maternal fatty acid supply affected the inflammatory response and the oxidative and anti-oxidative status of the neonatal offspring. Full article

The aim of the current research was to investigate the effects of betaine (Bet) supplementation on the production performance, rumen fermentation, digestibility, and serum indexes of dairy cows. Thirty healthy Holstein cows with the same parity (milk production = 22 ± 2.5 kg) were randomly selected and divided into three groups. One group served as a control group (CON; no betaine); the other two groups were Bet1 (15 g/d per cow) and Bet2 (30 g/d per cow). All cows were fed regularly three times a day at 06:00, 14:00, and 22:00 h. Cows received the formulate diet, and water was provided ad libitum. The experiment lasted for 60 days during the summer season. Results showed that the dry matter intake, milk protein, and fat of Bet1 cows was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in other groups. The content of volatile fatty acid (VFA) in Bet1 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than CON. Consistent with VFA, a similar trend was found in acetate, while propionate exhibited an opposite trend. Compared to other groups, the microbial protein (MCP) concentrations of Bet1 increased (p < 0.05). The apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of Bet1 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than CON. The serum concentration of total antioxygenic capacity (T-AOC) in Bet1 and Bet2 was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in Bet2 were higher (p < 0.05) than that in other groups. Compared to CON and Bet2, Bet1 significantly increased (p < 0.05) the serum concentrations of glucose. Therefore, it is practicable to feed betaine to lactating cows to improve their performance in heat stress. Full article

In this study, biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was blended with natural antioxidant tea polyphenols (TPs) to produce PVA/TP nanofiber films by electrospinning. The effects of heat treatment and TP incorporation on the structural and physical properties of the films were then evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the PVA/TP nanofiber film has a more compact structure and better morphology than PVA alone. In addition, the water resistance was enhanced, and the formation of hydrogen bonds between the TP and PVA molecules increased via the heat treatment. Furthermore, the mechanical, antioxygenic, and antibacterial properties of the nanofiber films were significantly improved (P < 0.05) owing to the incorporation of TP. In particular, when the mass ratio of the PVA/TP was 7:3, the elongation at break (EAB) of the film increased to 105.24% ± 2.87%, and the antioxidant value reached a maximum at 64.83% ± 5.21%. In addition, the antibacterial activity of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) increased to the maximum levels of 82.48% ± 2.12% and 86.25% ± 2.32%, respectively. In summary, our study produced a functional food packaging material that includes preservation with an acceptable bioactivity, ability to keep food fresh, and biodegradability. Full article

Salvia species find widespread application in food and pharmaceutical products owing to their large polyphenol content. The main polyphenols in Chinese Salvia species are phenolic acids and flavonoids, which exhibit anti-oxygenation, anti-ischemia-reperfusion injury, anti-thrombosis, anti-tumour, and other therapeutic effects. However, there are few peer-reviewed studies on polyphenols in Chinese Salvia species, especially flavonoids. This review is a systematic, comprehensive collation of available information on the biosynthesis, chemistry, and pharmacology of Chinese Salvia species. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because this review provides a detailed literary resource on the currently available information on various polyphenolic components of Chinese Salvia species, including their bioactivities and structures. In addition, the study provides information that would encourage further investigation of this plant material as a natural resource with potential for a broad range of applications in various industries, such as the food and pharmaceutical industries. Full article

The polar extract of the Dendrobium species or F. fimbriata (a substitute of Dendrobium), between the fat-soluble extract and polysaccharide has barely been researched. This report worked on the qualitative and quantitative studies of polar extracts from D. nobile, D. officinale, D. loddigesii, and F. fimbriata. Eight water-soluble metabolites containing a new diglucoside, flifimdioside A (1), and a rare imidazolium-type alkaloid, anosmine (4), were identified using chromatography as well as spectroscopic techniques. Their contents in the four herbs were high, approximately 0.9–3.7 mg/g based on the analysis of quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy. Biological activity evaluation showed that the polar extract of F. fimbriata or its pure component had good antioxidant and neuroprotective activity; compounds 1‒4 and shihunine (8) showed weak α-glucosidase inhibitory activity; 4 and 8 had weak anti-inflammatory activity. Under trial conditions, all samples had no cytotoxic activity. Full article