Pectinex XXL,a commercially prepared pectinase,was investigated for its potential application in the fruit juice industry.Polygalacturonic acid was used as the substrate for determining the enzymatic properties of Pec...Pectinex XXL,a commercially prepared pectinase,was investigated for its potential application in the fruit juice industry.Polygalacturonic acid was used as the substrate for determining the enzymatic properties of Pectinex XXL using the DNS method.According to the results,the optimal pH for Pectinex XXL activity was 4.5,and the enzyme was stable in the pH range of 3.0~4.5.The optimal pH and pH stability range are consistent with those of some tropical and subtropical fruits.The optimal temperature for Pectinex XXL activity was 60℃,and the enzyme remained stable after one hour in a water bath set at 40℃.Additionally,the enzymatic activity was not inhibited in the presence of 1 mmol/L of Na^(+),Mg^(2+),Ba^(2+),Co^(2+),Zn^(2+),and Fe^(2+),whereas it was slightly inhibited in the presence of 2 mmol/L of K^(+)and Fe^(2+)and partially inhibited in the presence of 1 and 2 mmol/L of Ca^(2+)and Mn^(2+),demonstrating its good stability in acids and excellent thermal catalytic performance.Based on the above experimental results,depectinization experiments were performed on plantain and cherry tomato juices using different amounts of Pectinex XXL.After one hour reaction with 16 U/mL of the enzyme,the yields of the plantain and cherry tomato juices were substantially increased by 119.03%and 15.97%,respectively,while their light transmittance was remarkably enhanced by 37.65%and 12.35%,respectively.Furthermore,the enzyme reduced the viscosity of the plantain and cherry tomato juices by 88.29%and 29.50%,respectively.The juice production experiments confirmed that this enzyme can significantly improve the yield and light transmittance of plantain juice,while effectively reducing its viscosity.These findings indicate the potential of Pectinex XXL in the industrial production of plantain juice.展开更多
BACKGROUND The gluten-free diet(GFD)has limitations,and there is intense research in the development of adjuvant therapies.AIM To examine the effects of orally administered Aspergillus niger prolyl endopeptidase prote...BACKGROUND The gluten-free diet(GFD)has limitations,and there is intense research in the development of adjuvant therapies.AIM To examine the effects of orally administered Aspergillus niger prolyl endopeptidase protease(AN-PEP)on inadvertent gluten exposure and symptom prevention in adult celiac disease(CeD)patients following their usual GFD.METHODS This was an exploratory,double-blind,randomized,placebo-controlled trial that enrolled CeD patients on a long-term GFD.After a 4-wk run-in period,patients were randomized to 4 wk of two AN-PEP capsules(GliadinX;AVI Research,LLC,United States)at each of three meals per day or placebo.Outcome endpoints were:(1)Average weekly stool gluten immunogenic peptides(GIP)between the run-in and end of treatments and between AN-PEP and placebo;(2)celiac symptom index(CSI);(3)CeD-specific serology;and(4)quality of life.Stool samples were collected for GIP testing by ELISA every Tuesday and Friday during run-ins and treatments.RESULTS Forty patients were randomized for the intention-to-treat analysis,and three were excluded from the per-protocol assessment.Overall,628/640(98.1%)stool samples were collected.GIP was undetectable(<0.08μg/g)in 65.6%of samples,and no differences between treatment arms were detected.Only 0.5%of samples had GIP concentrations sufficiently high(>0.32μg/g)to potentially cause mucosal damage.Median GIP concentration in the AN-PEP arm was 44.7%lower than in the run-in period.One-third of patients exhibiting GIP>0.08μg/g during run-in had lower or undetectable GIP after AN-PEP treatment.Compared with the run-in period,the proportion of symptomatic patients(CSI>38)in the AN-PEP arm was significantly lower(P<0.03).AN-PEP did not result in changes in specific serologies.CONCLUSION This exploratory study conducted in a real-life setting revealed high adherence to the GFD.The AN-PEP treatment did not significantly reduce the overall GIP stool concentration.However,given the observation of a significantly lower prevalence of patients with severe symptoms in the AN-PEP arm,further clinical research is warranted.展开更多
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis presents a diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific clinical/imaging features,as well as the fact that the proposed clinica...BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis presents a diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific clinical/imaging features,as well as the fact that the proposed clinically diagnostic algorithms do not necessarily apply to COVID-19 patients.In addition,Fusarium spp.is a rare cause of opportunistic life-threatening fungal infections.Disseminated Fusarium infection in an immunocompromised host is intractable,with a high likelihood of resulting mortality.To our knowledge,this is the first case of secondary pulmonary infection by Fusarium solani(F.solani)and Aspergillus niger(A.niger)during systemic steroid treatment for COVID-19.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old male was transported to our hospital by ambulance with a complaint of fever and dyspnea.We established a diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia,complicated with COVID-19 and septic shock,together with acute renal failure.He was admitted to the intensive care unit,to be treated with piperacillin/tazobactam,vancomycin,and 6.6 mg per day of dexamethasone sodium phosphate,along with noradrenaline as a vasopressor,ventilator management,and continuous hemodiafiltration.His condition improved,and we finished the vasopressor on the fifth hospital day.We administered dexamethasone for ten days,and finished the course of treatment.On the eleventh day,patient respiratory deterioration was observed,and a computed tomography scan showed an exacerbation of bilateral ground-glass-opacity-like consolidation,together with newly appeared cavitary lesions in the lung.we changed antibiotics to meropenem plus vancomycin.In addition,a fungal infection was considered as a possibility based on microscopic findings of sputum,and we began coadministration of voriconazole.However,the pneumonia worsened,and the patient died on the seventeenth day of illness.Later,F.solani and A.niger were identified from sputum collected on the twelfth day.It was believed that he developed a cell-mediated immune deficiency during COVID-19 treatment,which led to the complication of pneumonia caused by the above-mentioned fungi,contributing to his death.CONCLUSION Because early initiation of intense antifungal therapy offers the best chance for survival in pulmonary fusariosis,computed tomography scans and appropriate microbiologic investigations should be obtained for severely immunocompromised patients.展开更多
The comparative effectiveness of remediating water polluted with crude oil, using environment-friendly bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) were investigated. The samples were separately tre...The comparative effectiveness of remediating water polluted with crude oil, using environment-friendly bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) were investigated. The samples were separately treated with Aspergillus niger and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The bioremediation kinetic efficiency for these systems was studied. At the end of the bioremediation periods, the oil and grease content of the samples decreased from 47.0 mg/L in the untreated sample to 7.0 mg/L after 20 days when inoculated with bacteria while the sample inoculated with fungi decreased to 10.0 mg/L. Post analysis when inoculated with bacteria showed a fall in the value of the biological oxygen demand (BOD) from 73.84 mg/L to 33.28 mg/L after 20 days, while, the fungi inoculated sample showed a reduction from 73.84 mg/L to 38.48 mg/L. The biodegradation process with the bacteria was consistent with the pseudo-first-order model with a rate constant of 0.0891 day<sup>-1</sup>, while the biodegradation process with the fungi was consistent with the first order reaction model with a rate constant of 0.422 day<sup>-1</sup>. The degree of degradation after the 20<sup>th</sup> day of inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 85.11%, while with Aspergillus niger was 78.72%. Thus, the results obtained showed that, Pseudomonas aeruginosa performed better than Aspergillus niger. The bioremediation data with fungi fitted the first-order model, while that of the bacteria fitted the pseudo-first-order model. Therefore, the data obtained in this study could be applied in the design of a bioremediation system for potential application to remediation of crude oil polluted water.展开更多
Background： Rapeseed cake is a good source of protein for animal feed but its utilization is limited due to the presence of anti-nutritional substances, such as glucosinolates （GIs）, phytic acid, tannins etc. In th...Background： Rapeseed cake is a good source of protein for animal feed but its utilization is limited due to the presence of anti-nutritional substances, such as glucosinolates （GIs）, phytic acid, tannins etc. In the present study, a solid state fermentation （SSF） using Aspergillus niger was carried out with the purpose of degrading glucosinolates and improving the nutritional quality of rapeseed cake （RSC）. The effects of medium composition and incubation conditions on the GIs content in fermented rapeseed cake （FRSC） were investigated, and chemical composition and amino acid in vitro digestibility of RSC substrate fermented under optimal conditions were determined. Results： After 72 h of incubation at 34℃, a 76.89% decrease in GIs of RSC was obtained in solid medium containing 70% RSC, 30% wheat bran at optimal moisture content 60% （w/w）. Compared to unfermented RSC, trichloroacetic acid soluble protein （TCA-SP）, crude protein and ether extract contents of the FRSC were increased （P〈 0.05） 103.71, 23.02 and 23.54%, respectively. As expected, the contents of NDF and phytic acid declined （P〈 0.05） by 9.12 and 44.60%, respectively. Total amino acids （TAA） and essential amino acids （EAA） contents as well as AA in vitro digestibility of FRSC were improved significantly （P 〈 0.05）. Moreover, the enzyme activity of endoglucanase, xylanase, acid protease and phytase were increased （P 〈 0.05） during SSF. Conclusions： Our results indicate that the solid state fermentation offers an effective approach to improving the quality of proteins sources such as rapeseed cake.展开更多
Cultivation of an endophytic fungus Aspergillus niger EN-13 that was isolated from the inner tissue of the marine brown alga Colpomenia sinuosa resulted in the characterization of a new naphthoquinoneimine derivative,...Cultivation of an endophytic fungus Aspergillus niger EN-13 that was isolated from the inner tissue of the marine brown alga Colpomenia sinuosa resulted in the characterization of a new naphthoquinoneimine derivative, namely, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-[1-（4- methoxy-6-oxo-6H-pyran-2-yl）-2-phenylethylamino]-[ 1,4]naphthoquinone. The structure of the new compound was established on the basis of various NMR spectroscopic analyses including 2D NMR techniques, El-MS, and HR-ESI-MS. This compound displayed moderate antifungal activity.展开更多
文摘Pectinex XXL,a commercially prepared pectinase,was investigated for its potential application in the fruit juice industry.Polygalacturonic acid was used as the substrate for determining the enzymatic properties of Pectinex XXL using the DNS method.According to the results,the optimal pH for Pectinex XXL activity was 4.5,and the enzyme was stable in the pH range of 3.0~4.5.The optimal pH and pH stability range are consistent with those of some tropical and subtropical fruits.The optimal temperature for Pectinex XXL activity was 60℃,and the enzyme remained stable after one hour in a water bath set at 40℃.Additionally,the enzymatic activity was not inhibited in the presence of 1 mmol/L of Na^(+),Mg^(2+),Ba^(2+),Co^(2+),Zn^(2+),and Fe^(2+),whereas it was slightly inhibited in the presence of 2 mmol/L of K^(+)and Fe^(2+)and partially inhibited in the presence of 1 and 2 mmol/L of Ca^(2+)and Mn^(2+),demonstrating its good stability in acids and excellent thermal catalytic performance.Based on the above experimental results,depectinization experiments were performed on plantain and cherry tomato juices using different amounts of Pectinex XXL.After one hour reaction with 16 U/mL of the enzyme,the yields of the plantain and cherry tomato juices were substantially increased by 119.03%and 15.97%,respectively,while their light transmittance was remarkably enhanced by 37.65%and 12.35%,respectively.Furthermore,the enzyme reduced the viscosity of the plantain and cherry tomato juices by 88.29%and 29.50%,respectively.The juice production experiments confirmed that this enzyme can significantly improve the yield and light transmittance of plantain juice,while effectively reducing its viscosity.These findings indicate the potential of Pectinex XXL in the industrial production of plantain juice.
基金Supported by the Asociación de Celíacos y Sensibles al Gluten de Madrid,No.ACM2020)and Research Committee Argentine Society of Gastroenterology,No.2020.
文摘BACKGROUND The gluten-free diet(GFD)has limitations,and there is intense research in the development of adjuvant therapies.AIM To examine the effects of orally administered Aspergillus niger prolyl endopeptidase protease(AN-PEP)on inadvertent gluten exposure and symptom prevention in adult celiac disease(CeD)patients following their usual GFD.METHODS This was an exploratory,double-blind,randomized,placebo-controlled trial that enrolled CeD patients on a long-term GFD.After a 4-wk run-in period,patients were randomized to 4 wk of two AN-PEP capsules(GliadinX;AVI Research,LLC,United States)at each of three meals per day or placebo.Outcome endpoints were:(1)Average weekly stool gluten immunogenic peptides(GIP)between the run-in and end of treatments and between AN-PEP and placebo;(2)celiac symptom index(CSI);(3)CeD-specific serology;and(4)quality of life.Stool samples were collected for GIP testing by ELISA every Tuesday and Friday during run-ins and treatments.RESULTS Forty patients were randomized for the intention-to-treat analysis,and three were excluded from the per-protocol assessment.Overall,628/640(98.1%)stool samples were collected.GIP was undetectable(<0.08μg/g)in 65.6%of samples,and no differences between treatment arms were detected.Only 0.5%of samples had GIP concentrations sufficiently high(>0.32μg/g)to potentially cause mucosal damage.Median GIP concentration in the AN-PEP arm was 44.7%lower than in the run-in period.One-third of patients exhibiting GIP>0.08μg/g during run-in had lower or undetectable GIP after AN-PEP treatment.Compared with the run-in period,the proportion of symptomatic patients(CSI>38)in the AN-PEP arm was significantly lower(P<0.03).AN-PEP did not result in changes in specific serologies.CONCLUSION This exploratory study conducted in a real-life setting revealed high adherence to the GFD.The AN-PEP treatment did not significantly reduce the overall GIP stool concentration.However,given the observation of a significantly lower prevalence of patients with severe symptoms in the AN-PEP arm,further clinical research is warranted.
文摘BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis presents a diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific clinical/imaging features,as well as the fact that the proposed clinically diagnostic algorithms do not necessarily apply to COVID-19 patients.In addition,Fusarium spp.is a rare cause of opportunistic life-threatening fungal infections.Disseminated Fusarium infection in an immunocompromised host is intractable,with a high likelihood of resulting mortality.To our knowledge,this is the first case of secondary pulmonary infection by Fusarium solani(F.solani)and Aspergillus niger(A.niger)during systemic steroid treatment for COVID-19.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old male was transported to our hospital by ambulance with a complaint of fever and dyspnea.We established a diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia,complicated with COVID-19 and septic shock,together with acute renal failure.He was admitted to the intensive care unit,to be treated with piperacillin/tazobactam,vancomycin,and 6.6 mg per day of dexamethasone sodium phosphate,along with noradrenaline as a vasopressor,ventilator management,and continuous hemodiafiltration.His condition improved,and we finished the vasopressor on the fifth hospital day.We administered dexamethasone for ten days,and finished the course of treatment.On the eleventh day,patient respiratory deterioration was observed,and a computed tomography scan showed an exacerbation of bilateral ground-glass-opacity-like consolidation,together with newly appeared cavitary lesions in the lung.we changed antibiotics to meropenem plus vancomycin.In addition,a fungal infection was considered as a possibility based on microscopic findings of sputum,and we began coadministration of voriconazole.However,the pneumonia worsened,and the patient died on the seventeenth day of illness.Later,F.solani and A.niger were identified from sputum collected on the twelfth day.It was believed that he developed a cell-mediated immune deficiency during COVID-19 treatment,which led to the complication of pneumonia caused by the above-mentioned fungi,contributing to his death.CONCLUSION Because early initiation of intense antifungal therapy offers the best chance for survival in pulmonary fusariosis,computed tomography scans and appropriate microbiologic investigations should be obtained for severely immunocompromised patients.
文摘The comparative effectiveness of remediating water polluted with crude oil, using environment-friendly bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) were investigated. The samples were separately treated with Aspergillus niger and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The bioremediation kinetic efficiency for these systems was studied. At the end of the bioremediation periods, the oil and grease content of the samples decreased from 47.0 mg/L in the untreated sample to 7.0 mg/L after 20 days when inoculated with bacteria while the sample inoculated with fungi decreased to 10.0 mg/L. Post analysis when inoculated with bacteria showed a fall in the value of the biological oxygen demand (BOD) from 73.84 mg/L to 33.28 mg/L after 20 days, while, the fungi inoculated sample showed a reduction from 73.84 mg/L to 38.48 mg/L. The biodegradation process with the bacteria was consistent with the pseudo-first-order model with a rate constant of 0.0891 day<sup>-1</sup>, while the biodegradation process with the fungi was consistent with the first order reaction model with a rate constant of 0.422 day<sup>-1</sup>. The degree of degradation after the 20<sup>th</sup> day of inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 85.11%, while with Aspergillus niger was 78.72%. Thus, the results obtained showed that, Pseudomonas aeruginosa performed better than Aspergillus niger. The bioremediation data with fungi fitted the first-order model, while that of the bacteria fitted the pseudo-first-order model. Therefore, the data obtained in this study could be applied in the design of a bioremediation system for potential application to remediation of crude oil polluted water.
基金granted by the Earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System of China(CARS-36)Feed Biotechnology Project of Sichuan Province of China with grant number 2010GZ0193
文摘Background： Rapeseed cake is a good source of protein for animal feed but its utilization is limited due to the presence of anti-nutritional substances, such as glucosinolates （GIs）, phytic acid, tannins etc. In the present study, a solid state fermentation （SSF） using Aspergillus niger was carried out with the purpose of degrading glucosinolates and improving the nutritional quality of rapeseed cake （RSC）. The effects of medium composition and incubation conditions on the GIs content in fermented rapeseed cake （FRSC） were investigated, and chemical composition and amino acid in vitro digestibility of RSC substrate fermented under optimal conditions were determined. Results： After 72 h of incubation at 34℃, a 76.89% decrease in GIs of RSC was obtained in solid medium containing 70% RSC, 30% wheat bran at optimal moisture content 60% （w/w）. Compared to unfermented RSC, trichloroacetic acid soluble protein （TCA-SP）, crude protein and ether extract contents of the FRSC were increased （P〈 0.05） 103.71, 23.02 and 23.54%, respectively. As expected, the contents of NDF and phytic acid declined （P〈 0.05） by 9.12 and 44.60%, respectively. Total amino acids （TAA） and essential amino acids （EAA） contents as well as AA in vitro digestibility of FRSC were improved significantly （P 〈 0.05）. Moreover, the enzyme activity of endoglucanase, xylanase, acid protease and phytase were increased （P 〈 0.05） during SSF. Conclusions： Our results indicate that the solid state fermentation offers an effective approach to improving the quality of proteins sources such as rapeseed cake.
基金partially supported by the fund of Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs(0cean University of China),Ministry of Education[KLMD(0UC)2004]by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30530080)+1 种基金A program supported by the Department of Science and Technology of Shandong Province(No.2006GG2205023)by the Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica is also gratefully acknowledged.
文摘Cultivation of an endophytic fungus Aspergillus niger EN-13 that was isolated from the inner tissue of the marine brown alga Colpomenia sinuosa resulted in the characterization of a new naphthoquinoneimine derivative, namely, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-[1-（4- methoxy-6-oxo-6H-pyran-2-yl）-2-phenylethylamino]-[ 1,4]naphthoquinone. The structure of the new compound was established on the basis of various NMR spectroscopic analyses including 2D NMR techniques, El-MS, and HR-ESI-MS. This compound displayed moderate antifungal activity.
