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Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023In order to investigate and develop functional foods of marine origin with hypoglycemic activity, polysaccharide-Zn(II) (EZ) complex was first prepared by marine...
In order to investigate and develop functional foods of marine origin with hypoglycemic activity, polysaccharide-Zn(II) (EZ) complex was first prepared by marine resourced polysaccharide (EP) and ZnSO and their anti-diabetes activities against high-sugar and high-fat-induced diabetic mice were evaluated. The detailed structural characterization of EZ was elucidated by UV-Vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and monosaccharide composition determination. The pharmacological research suggests that EZ has a potent hypoglycemic effect on high-sugar and high-fat-induced diabetic mice by inhibiting insulin resistance, improving dyslipidemia, decreasing inflammatory status, repairing pancreas damage, as well as activating the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and regulating GLUT2 gene expression. At the same time, microbiota analysis indicates that a high dose of EZ could enhance the abundance of dominant species, such as , , , , and , in intestinal microbiota distribution. Thus, EZ could be considered as a potential candidate for developing an ingredient of functional foods for Zn(II) supplements with hypoglycemic activity.
PubMed: 37569125
DOI: 10.3390/foods12152854 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Aug 2023Current production of traditional concrete requires enormous energy investment that accounts for approximately 5 to 8% of the world's annual CO production. Biocement is... (Review)
Review
Current production of traditional concrete requires enormous energy investment that accounts for approximately 5 to 8% of the world's annual CO production. Biocement is a building material that is already in industrial use and has the potential to rival traditional concrete as a more convenient and more environmentally friendly alternative. Biocement relies on biological structures (enzymes, cells, and/or cellular superstructures) to mineralize and bind particles in aggregate materials (e.g., sand and soil particles). Sporosarcina pasteurii is a workhorse organism for biocementation, but most research to date has focused on as a building material rather than a biological system. In this review, we synthesize available materials science, microbiology, biochemistry, and cell biology evidence regarding biological CaCO precipitation and the role of microbes in microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) with a focus on . Based on the available information, we provide a model that describes the molecular and cellular processes involved in converting feedstock material (urea and Ca) into cement. The model provides a foundational framework that we use to highlight particular targets for researchers as they proceed into optimizing the biology of MICP for biocement production.
Topics: Ammonium Compounds; Calcium Carbonate; Chemical Precipitation; Conservation of Energy Resources; Industrial Microbiology; Sporosarcina; Urea
PubMed: 37439668
DOI: 10.1128/aem.01794-22