Potential of Plant Proteins Digested In Silico by Gastrointestinal Enzymes as Nutritional Supplement for COVID-19 Patients

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Currently, no specific drug and vaccine are available for the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and nutritional supplementation should be helpful. This study tried to...     

Identifying and Characterizing a Novel Peritrophic Matrix Protein (MdPM-17) Associated With Antibacterial Response From the Housefly,Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

Peritrophic matrix/membrane (PM) critically prevents the midgut of insects from external invasion by microbes. The proteins in the peritrophic membrane are its major structural components. Additionally, they determine the formation and function of this membrane. However, the role of PM proteins in immune regulation is unclear. Herein, we isolated a novel PM protein (MdPM-17) from Musca domestica larvae. Further, the function of MdPM-17 in regulating host innate immunity was identified. Results showed that the cDNA of MdPM-17 full is 635 bp in length. Moreover, it consists of a 477-bp open reading frame encoding 158 amino acid residues. These amino acid residues are composed of two Chitin-binding type-2 domain (ChtBD2) and 19 amino acids as a signal peptide. Moreover, tissue distribution analysis indicates that MdPM-17 was enriched expressed in midgut, and moderate levels in the fat body, foregut, and malpighian tubule. Notably, MdPM-17 recombinant protein showed high chitin-binding capacity, thus belongs to the Class III PM protein group. MdPM-17 protein silencing via RNA interference resulted in the expression of antimicrobial peptide (defensin, cecropins, and diptericin) genes, and this occurred after oral inoculation with exogenous microbes Escherichia coli (Enterobacteriales:Enterobacteriaceae), Staphylococcus aureus (Bacillales:Staphylococcaceae), and Candida albicans (Endomycetales:Saccharomycetaceae)). Therefore, all the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene expression levels are high in MdPM-17-depleted larvae during microbial infection compared to controls. Consequently, these findings indicate that MdPM-17 protein is associated with the antibacterial response from the housefly.     

麻地膜对设施樱桃番茄(Solanum lycopersivon)生长及产量的影响

为了明确麻地膜覆盖在设施大棚内对樱桃番茄生长及产量的影响,本研究采用‘浙樱粉1号’为实验材料,设置3个处理:麻地膜覆盖、塑料地膜覆盖及对照(不覆盖),比较了不同覆盖措施对‘浙樱粉1号’株高、茎粗、单株鲜重、结果数量及樱桃番茄鲜果重的影响。结果表明,在设施大棚内采用麻地膜覆盖增加了‘浙樱粉1号’株高、茎粗、结果数量及樱桃番茄鲜果重。麻地膜覆盖对设施大棚内种植的樱桃番茄有增产作用,麻地膜的推广应用可以减少塑料地膜对环境污染,利于农业的可持续发展。     

杂粮供应链区块链多链追溯监管模型设计

针对杂粮产品供应链链条长、主体多、区块链追溯过程数据无法差异化共享、链上数据难以实时监管等难题,通过分析杂粮供应链环节业务流程与监管特性,提出了基于区块链多链架构的杂粮追溯模型,并在此基础上建立多链数据存储架构,设计了基于监管授权组网建链的网络准入机制,并通过智能合约实现数据的链前监管与追溯节点的链上管控。为验证模型有效性,基于Hyperledger Fabric设计并实现区块链追溯系统,对山西忻州杂粮应用案例进行分析。在安全方面,企业组网授权扩散性测试密文平均改变率为82.53%,相关性测试密文平均改变率为82.39%,具备较高的安全性与混淆性。在效率方面,消费者查询公开追溯数据平均时间为0.415 s,监管部门调用跨链接口查询企业敏感追溯数据平均时间为0.871 s。结果表明,该研究设计并实现的面向监管的杂粮多链追溯系统在满足消费者追溯需求的基础上,能够实现追溯数据账本与链间交易记录的实时管控,为农产品区块链追溯监管系统研究提供借鉴与参考。     

Effects of surgically implanted dummy ultrasonic transmitters on physiological response of bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis

The study assessed the effects of surgically implanted dummy ultrasonic transmitters on physiological response of bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis in April 2011. Before the surgery, 15 blood samples were extracted randomly from 195 bighead carp samples, and then the rest of the fish were divided into three groups: (1) control group, handing but no tagging, (2) sham group, surgical procedure without implantation of transmitter and (3) surgery group, surgical implantation of transmitters. In 3 h, 24 h, 7 days and 14 days after surgery, 15 fish were extracted randomly from the three groups, respectively, for sampling. Then the plasma samples were analyzed, and physiological measures of stress response (cortisol, glucose), tissue damage [alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] and nutritional status [total protein, globulin, albumin, triglyceride, cholesterol, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)] were compared. The result showed that there was no significant difference between sham and surgery groups in 3 h, 24 h, 7 days and 14 days after surgery. When compared to the control group, there were significant increases in concentrations of plasma cortisol, glucose, ALT, AST, total protein and globulin of sham and surgery groups in 3 h after surgery. After 24 h, the levels of plasma cortisol, ALT, AST, total protein, globulin and ALP were elevated in both sham and surgery groups, whereas the levels of plasma glucose had declined to normal level and plasma albumin, cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly decreased in both sham and surgery groups. After 7 days, the levels of plasma glucose, albumin and cholesterol continued to decline, while the level of plasma ALT, globulin and ALP had declined but still remained higher for sham and surgery groups than control group; however, the plasma total protein level had returned to normal. After 14 days, there was no significant difference between the three groups. The above results showed that surgical implantation of ultrasonic transmitters had indeed caused significantly negative effects on the physiological response of bighead carp. However, all the negative influences on stress response, tissue damage and nutritional status had disappeared in 14 days after surgery, and the presence of transmitters had no significant negative impact. Therefore, the bighead carp should be temporary cultured at least 14 days for the recovery of physiological response and then released into the free water for the ultrasonic telemetry research.     

Effects of different dietary copper sources on the growth and intestinal microbial communities of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary copper sources on growth performance and intestinal microbial communities of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Four isonitrogenous (420 g/kg crude protein) and isolipidic (70 g/kg crude lipid) experimental diets were formulated to contain different copper sources, Diet NSC (no‐supplemented copper), Diet CS (copper sulphate), Diet Availa (copper amino acid complex from Availa^®Cu100) and Diet M (1:1, copper sulphate + copper amino acid complex). A total of 360 Pacific white shrimp juveniles (initial weight: 1.86 ± 0.03 g) were randomly allocated into four groups, with three replicates per group and 30 shrimps each replicate. An Illumina‐based sequencing method was used to analyse the intestinal bacterial composition of shrimp juveniles. The results revealed that shrimps fed Diet M had significantly higher percent weight gain (PWG) than that fed Diet NSC and Diet CS, while there were no significant differences between Diet M and Diet Availa. Survival was not affected by the dietary copper sources. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were dominant in the intestines of Pacific white shrimp. Shrimps fed Diet M and Diet Availa had higher bacterial richness and diversity than those fed Diet NSC and Diet CS with no significant differences among all treatments. Furthermore, Diet M and Diet Availa which contained copper amino acid complex reduced the relative abundance of Vibrionaceae in shrimp intestinal tract. This study indicated that dietary copper sources could affect the intestinal microbial communities and diets supplemented with Availa^®Cu100 could have a positive impact on the growth performance and decrease the potential risk of disease in Pacific white shrimp.     

Enhanced micropropagation of Dendrobium huoshanense C.Z. Tang et S.J. Cheng through protocorm-like bodies: The effects of cytokinins,carbohydrate sources and cold pretreatment

The effects of cytokinins, carbohydrate sources and cold pretreatment on the conversion of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) to shoots were investigated for the enhancement of micropropagation of Dendrobium huoshanense C.Z. Tang et S.J. Cheng, an endangered medicinal plant in China. The effects of cytokinins and carbohydrate sources on the conversion of PLBs to shoots depended on their types and concentrations. The best results in terms of shoot development from PLBs occurred on 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 20 μM kinetin and 10 g l⁻¹ maltose. Cold pretreatment at 10 °C for 1–2 weeks significantly enhanced the conversion of PLBs to shoots, and over 1300 shoots were obtained from one gram of PLBs after 3 months of culture. The developed shoots were rooted on growth regulator-free MS medium supplemented with 8 g/l banana paste to give complete plantlets, which were successfully acclimatized with a survival rate of approximately 65%. The results indicate that a suitable cold pretreatment (10 °C for 1 week) followed by the use of 20 μM kinetin and 10 g/l maltose in 1/2 MS medium would produce a large number of shoots from PLBs for plantlet regeneration of D. huoshanense.     

高产虫草菌素蛹虫草菌株的紫外线诱变选育

蛹虫草是重要的药食用真菌。通过对蛹虫草原生质体进行紫外诱变处理,筛选到1株优良的菌株CMM-81。经固体发酵,虫草菌素和腺苷含量分别为0．437％和0．036％,是出发菌株的2倍。菌株CMM-81经连续15代传代培养,虫草菌素和腺苷的含量保持稳定。     

超声波处理对小麦胚芽球蛋白理化和功能性质的影

采用超声波处理小麦胚芽球蛋白以提高其功能性质.研究了超声波处理对小麦胚芽球蛋白理化和功能性质的影响.结果表明:经超声波处理后,小麦胚芽球蛋白的巯基和二硫键含量、紫外光谱和荧光光谱均发生了显著的变化.随着超声波功率的增加,小麦胚芽球蛋白的疏水性、起泡性、起泡稳定性、乳化性和乳化稳定性都降低;当超声波功率大于900 W时,由于小麦胚芽球蛋白重新伸展,疏水基团暴露增多,引起疏水性、起泡性、起泡稳定性、乳化性和乳化稳定性增加.此外.超声波功率对小麦胚芽球蛋白的溶解度有显著影响,随着超声波功率的增加其溶解度明显增加.因此,通过选择适宜的超声波功率水平能够改善小麦胚芽球蛋白的理化和功能性质.     

梯形渠道机翼形量水槽试验

基于Hager对圆锥筒及圆柱体量水槽测流原理分析,推求出梯形渠道机翼形量水槽在自由出流时的流量理论计算公式,指出流量校正系数可由相对水头确定.选择6种收缩比进行了一系列室内模型试验,并根据试验数据建立了相对流量与相对水头的无量纲关系式.结果表明,相对流量与相对水头具有良好的相关关系,流量计算最大相对误差为±3.5%,该量水槽临界淹没度可达0.90,控制断面收缩比为0.372～0.585时可得到较好的量水效果.