Insights on the molecular mechanism of neuroprotection exerted by edible bird’s nest and its bioactive constituents

Neurodegenerative diseases are often associated with the accumulation of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.Edible bird’s nest(EBN)is a glycoprotein(sialylated mucin glycopeptides)found to be beneficial against neurodegenerative diseases.Antioxidative,anti-inflammatory,and anti-apoptotic properties of EBN in preserving neuronal cells were widely researched using in vitro and in vivo models.Functional effects of EBN are often linked to its great number of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory glycopeptides.Bioactive compounds in EBN,especially sialic acid,add value to neurotrophic potential of EBN and contribute to neuronal repair and protection.Various studies reporting the neuroprotective effects of EBN,their molecular mechanisms,and neuroactive composition were gathered in this review to provide better insights on the neuroprotective effects of EBN.

Enzymatic recovery of glycopeptides from different industrial grades edible bird’s nest and its by-products:nutrient,probiotic and antioxidant activities,and physicochemical characteristics

This study was conducted to recover edible bird’s nest(EBN)hydrolysates from different grades of EBN,including the industrial by-products,using enzymatic treatment.The nutrient,physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of the recovered hydrolysates at different hydrolysis times were evaluated.Results showed that the recovery yield of enzymatic hydrolysis was above 89%for all grades of EBN and the degree of hydrolysis increased over time.Nitrite content(0.321-0.433 mg/L)was below the permissible tolerance level for all samples.Interestingly,the antioxidant activities(DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant powder(FRAP)activity)were significantly higher(P≤0.05)in hydrolysates recovered from EBN by-products(EBNhC and EBNhD)as compared to the high grade EBN hydrolysates(EBNhA and EBNhB).The in-vitro probiotic activity of EBN and its hydrolysates were examined using the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum.Evidently,EBN by-products hydrolysate(EBNhD)recorded the highest number of L.plantarum(1.1×1011 CFU/mL),indicating that low grade EBN has the potential as prebiotic material that promotes probiotic activity.This study demonstrated the concept of using EBN by-products hydrolysates for various applications,such as functional ingredients with enhanced bioactivities,to improve its economic value.

基于YOLOv5s的轻量化架空输电线路鸟巢检测网络

架空输电线路上的鸟巢侵占会对铁塔上的电力设备造成安全隐患,间接可能影响整个电力系统的稳定运行。针对目前架空输电线路鸟巢检测模型在复杂场景以及小目标场景下检测精度不高,检测效率低,模型复杂等问题。本研究提出一种基于YOLOv5s框架的轻量化架空输电线路鸟巢检测网络。首先在主干部分采用Fasternet重构YOLOv5s特征提取网络,降低模型复杂度,提高运行速度;然后在特征融合网络部分嵌入ConvMixer层,ConvMixer层的结构设计有助于在特征信息中更好的捕捉空间和通道的关系,提升模型对于小目标的检测能力;最后在特征融合网络部分引入ODConv模块,令送入检测头的特征图包含更多有效特征,提高模型对复杂场景和小目标的检测性能。实验结果表明,本文与基线模型YOLOv5s相比,计算量和模型体积分别减少了86%和72%,平均精度均值达到96.4%,检测速度达到104.2帧/s,验证了本文改进模型的有效性和可行性。

Proteins:Neglected active ingredients in edible bird’s nest

Edible bird’s nest(EBN)is a kind of natural invigorant with a long history of consumption in Asia,especially in China.EBN is formed by mixing the saliva of swiftlets(Aerodramus)with feathers and other components during the breeding season.Proteins are the most important nutrient in EBN.By studying proteins in EBN,we can not only elucidate their components at the molecular level,but also study their bioactivities.Therefore,it is of great significance to study the proteins in EBN.Previous research on the proteins in EBN was preliminary and cursory,and no one has summarized and analyzed the proteins in EBN and correlated the bioactivities of these proteins with the biological functions of EBN.This article focused on the proteins in EBN,listed the proteins identified in different proteomic studies,and introduced the sources,structures and bioactivities of the most frequently identified proteins,including acidic mammalian chitinase,lysyl oxidase homolog 3,mucin-5AC,ovoinhibitor,nucleobindin-2,calciumbinding protein(MW:4.5×10~4)and glucose-regulated protein(MW:7.8×10~4).The properties of these proteins are closely related to the bioactivities of EBN.Therefore,this article can provide inspiration for further research on the efficacy of EBN.

A comprehensive review of edible bird nests and swiftlet farming

Edible bird＇s nest （EBN） is currently widely consumed by the Chinese community as tonic food and functional food, which is believed to have many medicinal benefits. Some studies have reported the biochemical compositions of EBN, graded on the basis of colour, nitrate and nitrite contents. Other studies have shown significant biological effects, while ongoing research is in progress to explore potential pharmacological applications. The high demand for EBNs in the global market has forced the local regulatory bodies to monitor swiftlet farming activities, including the EBN cleaning process. Furthermore, numerous techniques have been developed to authenticate EBN; proteomics is likely to be the most promising of these methods. However, there are limited numbers of relevant protein sequences deposited at the database. More research is needed at the molecular level to explore the mechanisms behind the biological functions, such as bone strength improvement, skin rejuvenation, epidermal growth factor activity and cell proliferation.The current and future prospects of EBN and swiftlet farming are critically reviewed in this article.

A sustainable way of agricultural livelihood:edible bird’s nests in Indonesia

Edible birds’nests(EBNs)have traditionally been produced in Southeast Asia.Indonesian farmers construct buildings for swiftlets and harvest their nests.EBN farming does not directly degrade forest resources and is therefore considered a sustainable means of production,whereas the expansion of other agricultural activities often relies on the degradation of natural resources.This study examines the relationship between natural resources and agricultural livelihoods,focusing on Indonesian EBN farmers.Using survey data that we collected in 2017,combined with satellite information on the extent of the forest in Central Kalimantan,Indonesia,we measured production efficiency and identified the natural and social factors that enhance production performance.The results show that a forest extent ranging between 2,000 and 6,000 meters from nesting building is positively associated with the production efficiency of EBN farming,perhaps because extensive forest could help swiftlets to collect food and build nests.Conversely,while EBN farming is a sustainable and profitable option,the initial costs of constructing buildings to house swiftlets may deter farmers from participating in the process.

Edible Bird's Nest:Food or Medicine?

Edible bird＇s nest （EBN） is derived from the saliva of certain types of swiflets. It is consumed in many parts of the world for its nutritional and medicinal values. Although many claims have been made on the therapeutic and health- promoting effects of EBN, scientific documentations regarding these effects are very limited in published literature. It is not until recently that the biological effects of EBN are being investigated and evidence-based studies are being conducted. Several studies have found that EBN may enhance cell proliferation and differentiation and various beneficial effects have been reported in vitro as well as in vivo. While these studies point towards the potential use of EBN in the treatment or even prevention of several diseases, the mechanisms of action of EBN remain largely unknown and more explorations are needed. This review is one of the very few scientific reviews onEBN which focuses on recent evidence-based discoveries.

Characterization of edible bird’s nest by peptide fingerprinting with principal component analysis

OBJECTIVES:Proteins are the major component and play a key role in nutritious and therapeutic functions of edible bird’s nest(EBN);however,limited studies have been conducted on the protein due to difficulties in extraction,isolation as well as identification.This study aimed to provide comprehensive information for the quality evaluation of EBN peptides,which would be a valuable reference for further study on EBN proteins.METHODS:Here,we developed a quality control method using high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)peptide fingerprints deriving from EBN being digested with simulated gastric fluid.The characteristic peptide peaks were collected and identified by LC-MS/MS.RESULTS:The characteristic peptide peaks,corresponding to the protein fragments of acidic mammalian chitinase-like,lysyl oxidase,and Mucin-5AC-like,were identified and quantified.Interestingly,the principal component analysis indicated that the fingerprints were able to discriminate colour of EBN(white/red)and production sites(cave/house)of White EBN on the same weight basis.As proposed by the model developed in this study,Muc-5AC-like and AMCaselike proteins were the markers with the highest discriminative power.CONCLUSIONS:The overall findings suggest that HPLC peptide fingerprints were able to clearly demonstrate peptide profile differences between genuine and adulterated EBN samples;and classify EBN samples by its color and production site.In addition,the protein identification results suggested that Muc-5AC-like protein was the major protein in EBN.

Preliminary nitrite, nitrate and colour analysis of Malaysian edible bird’s nest

The high nitrite content in edible bird’s nests is a major concern to the local swiftlet industry.It lowers the price of the edible bird’s nests and it brings severe health hazards to consumers and farmers.This research investigated the nitrite and nitrate contents of eight types of local edible bird’s nests by using ion chromatography system and evaluating its colour using the CIE system in L^*a^*b^*parameters.The nitrite content obtained ranged from 5.7 lg/g for the house nests to 843.8 lg/g for the cave nests.The nitrate content for the house and cave nests was 98.2 lg/g and 36,999.4 lg/g,respectively.The cave nests with darker and redder colour had higher nitrite and nitrate contents than the brighter and more yellow house nests.This likely suggests that the nitrite and nitrate contents have correlations with edible bird’s nests colour.Correlations studies suggested that the nitrite content had high correlations with colour parameters,L^*a^*b^*of edible bird’s nests at significant level of P<0.10.These findings suggest that edible bird’s nests’colour may be a useful indicator for measuring nitrite and nitrate contaminations.

Effects of Sialic Acid from Edible Bird Nest on Cell Viability Associated with Brain Cognitive Performance in Mice

Background:Edible bird nest(EBN)is a natural food product rich in glycoprotein such as sialic acid,which has been reported to improve brain functions.The EBN is widely consumed due to its higher nutritional contents and antioxidant status;however,an interaction of EBN on brain cell metabolic activity and viability are still unclear.Objective:The objectives of this study were to identify the effect of sialic acid from EBN on the cell viability and to determine the appropriate concentration of sialic acid on cognitive performance in mice.Materials and Methods:The viability of pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines were tested using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.For in vivo study,7-week-old female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into four treatment groups and were treated with sialic acid for 21 days.At day 22,all mice were tested on cognitive performance by Y-maze test.Results:Treatment concentration of sialic acid extract and sialic acid standard at 60μg/mL(0.6 ppm)increased cell viability and showed no cytotoxicity effects in pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines.In addition,an administration of higher dose of sialic acid at 0.6 ppm in animals improved Y-maze test performance,which they showed significantly higher number of entries and time spent in the novel arm.Conclusion:Thus,the current study shows that the sialic acid extract at 0.6 ppm improved brain cognitive performance in mice associated with an increased viability of pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines.

Combined enzymatic hydrolysis and herbal extracts fortification to boost in vitro antioxidant activity of edible bird's nest solution

Objective:Edible bird’s nest(EBN)is a popular traditional tonic food in Chinese population for centuries.Malaysia is one of the main EBN suppliers in the world.This study aims to explore the best strategy to boost the antioxidant potential of EBN solution.Methods:In this study,the raw EBN(4%,mass to volume ratio)was initially enzymatic hydrolyzed using papain enzyme to produce EBN hydrolysate(EBNH),then spray-dried into powdered form.Next,4%(mass to volume ratio)of EBNH powder was dissolved in ginger extract(GE),mulberry leaf extract(MLE)and cinnamon twig extract(CTE)to detect the changes of antioxidant activities,respectively.Results:Results obtained suggest that enzymatic hydrolysis significantly reduced the viscosity of 4%EBN solution from(68.12±0.69)m Pa·s to(7.84±0.31)m Pa·s.Besides,the total phenolic content(TPC),total flavonoid content(TFC),total soluble protein,DPPH scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP)were substantially increased following EBN hydrolysis using papain enzyme.In addition,fortification with GE,MLE and CTE had further improved the TPC,TFC,DPPH scavenging activity and FRAP of the EBNH solution.Among the samples,MLE-EBNH solution showed the most superior antioxidant potential at(86.39±1.66)%of DPPH scavenging activity and(19.79±2.96)mmol/L FeSO;of FRAP.Conclusion:This study proved that combined enzymatic hydrolysis and MLE fortification is the best strategy to produce EBN product with prominent in vitro antioxidant potential.This preliminary study provides new insight into the compatibility of EBN with different herbal extracts for future health food production.

燕窝及其提取物对皮肤状态的定性循证研究

目的:系统评价食用燕窝及其提取物对皮肤状态的影响。方法:在中国知网、万方、中国生物医学文献服务系统、PubMed和Embase数据库中检索自2012年1月—2022年9月国内外发表的相关文献,并根据纳入排除标准对文献进行筛选,参照世界卫生组织(WHO)推荐的证据评价方法和标准、SYRCLE动物实验风险评估工具对人群研究、动物实验进行综合评价,并根据体外实验探讨可能作用机制。结果:共纳入10项研究,其中3篇为随机对照试验、3篇为动物实验、4篇为体外实验。综合分析结果显示,食用燕窝有助于提高皮肤含水量,减轻皮肤光老化和炎症水平,其提取物有助于促进角质形成细胞的增殖以及皮肤美白等。结论:目前研究结果提示,食用燕窝及其提取物有助于改善皮肤在紫外线暴露下的损伤,还能抑制黑色素的产生,促进皮肤美白,有助于促进表皮角质形成细胞的增殖,减少皮肤损伤。因此,适当摄入燕窝有助于皮肤状态的改善。但目前人群研究较少,还有待进一步的研究验证。

不同类型燕窝营养检测现状及营养成分分析

目的:旨在总结不同类型燕窝中营养成分的检测现状,并分析其营养成分组成和差异,便于进一步开展燕窝营养相关科学研究。方法:在PubMed、Embase、Web ofScience、中国知网、万方数据库、维普检索自建库至2022年8月国内外公开发表的相关研究文献。纳入测定燕窝中营养成分组成与含量的定性与定量研究,包括一手研究数据、综述、系统综述等非一手研究数据,语言限定为中英文;排除与主题无关、重复、数据不完整、无法获得全文的文章。结果:共检索出文献1 237篇,本文共纳入8篇文献作为本次综述的主要证据。研究显示,燕窝中蛋白质含量范围为56.34%~69.5%,脂肪含量范围为0.03%~1.28%,碳水化合物含量范围为17.12%~31.68%,水分含量范围为12%~24.3%,唾液酸含量范围为7.64%~12.52%,不同类型燕窝中营养成分的种类及含量可能存在差异。结论:燕窝中蛋白质含量高,氨基酸种类丰富且必需氨基酸比例较大,脂肪含量极低,富含矿物质且含有多种必需微量元素,维生素与唾液酸含量均较高。不同类型燕窝中营养成分的种类及含量存在一定差异,不同类型燕窝中碳水化合物含量差异较大。

燕窝及唾液酸对免疫功能影响的定性循证研究

目的:系统评价燕窝及唾液酸对免疫功能的影响及作用。方法:在中国知网、万方数据库、中国生物医学文献数据库、PubMed、Embase数据库中检索自2012年1月—2023年6月国内外发表的相关研究文献,并根据纳入排除标准对文献进行筛选,并参照SYRCLE动物实验风险评估工具,对相关文献进行综合评价。结果:共纳入11项研究,其中7篇为动物实验、4篇为体外实验。无论燕窝及唾液酸的来源、给药途径、干预时间和干预剂量是否一致,本系统综述的结果均表明,燕窝及唾液酸可以提高健康动物的免疫功能,并具有抗病毒作用,且呈现出剂量依赖效应。结论:燕窝及唾液酸对动物具有提高免疫及抗病毒的作用。

不同炖煮温度对燕窝营养物质及抗氧化能力的影响

本文针对不同温度炖煮的燕窝的3’-唾液酸乳糖、谷胱甘肽、小分子燕窝蛋白、抗氧化能力进行了研究。结果表明,相比于95℃炖煮的燕窝,100℃和115℃炖煮的燕窝的3’-唾液酸乳糖含量分别提高了63.02%和644.20%,谷胱甘肽含量分别提高了25.33%和68.73%,小分子蛋白峰面积(相对含量)分别提高了76.30%和666.18%,抗氧化能力分别提高了44.45%和207.57%。由此可见,适当地提高炖煮温度可以在营养成分、吸收、健康效应方面提升燕窝的价值。

Cyathus tenuicorticalis(Agaricales,Basidiomycota),a new species from La Selva Biological Station,Costa Rica

Cyathus tenuicorticalis was found growing on decaying wood from La Selva Biological Station,Costa Rica.Specimens were analyzed using the methodology proposed for the group and specific literature for the genus.The fundamental diagnostic features for this new species are the very thin double-layered cortex in peridioles,exoperidium strongly hirsute,and a platinum bright endoperidium.Description,discussion and photographs of this new species are provided.

基于DSP的无线伺服清除鸟巢装置

针对变电站电气设备鸟巢清除需停电登高作业的问题,设计出一种基于DSP的无线伺服装置,可在电气设备带电情况下实施鸟巢清除作业。该装置可带电作业,避免了停电造成的负荷损失和非计划停运。

基于傅里叶变换红外光谱技术解析鲜炖燕窝中功能因子与肠道菌群的关系

食用燕窝可以调节肠道菌群,改善人体免疫。采用傅里叶变换红外光谱技术对鲜炖燕窝进行光谱扫描,并用特征的光谱吸收峰与服用燕窝后的小鼠肠道菌群进行关联性分析,解析燕窝中的功能因子与肠道菌群的关联,为探讨燕窝调控肠道机理奠定研究基础。结果表明,服用仙炖燕窝后肠道菌在属水平上:有益菌Lactobacillus和Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group呈现上升趋势,有益菌Faecalibaculum和Akkermansia呈现下降趋势;有害菌Desulfovibrio、Enterorhabdus和Candidatus_Saccharimonas均呈现下降趋势。两个产品燕窝的红外差异光谱主要集中在1700~1200 cm^(-1)波段范围,主要为酰胺键、芳香C-C键以及羧基C-O基团的分布区,这些官能团与有益菌Lactobacillus和Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group呈现正相关,与有害菌Desulfovibrio和Enterorhabdus呈现负相关。随后利用高分辨质谱对相应的鲜炖燕窝产品进行物质解析,发现主要成分有氨基酸类,脂类(磷酸酯类、脂肪酰、鞘氨醇等),酯类和唾液酸等物质,这些物质与肠道菌呈现不同的相关性,总的来说脂类物质中特别是一些磷酸酯类(磷脂酸、磷脂酰胆碱、磷脂酰甘油、磷脂酰乙醇胺)和脂肪酰类物质与有害菌呈现负相关,与有益菌呈现正相关。这些物质所含有的特征官能团也可以与红外结果相对应。以上结果表明,傅里叶变换红外光谱技术可为探讨燕窝中功能因子调控肠道菌群研究提供理论依据。

炖煮温度对干燕窝质构和风味的影响

目的:研究炖煮温度对干燕窝质构和风味的影响。方法:以干燕窝为主要原料,利用物性分析仪对不同炖煮温度的燕窝进行全质构分析,利用气相电子鼻检测分析仪和固相微萃取-气相色谱-质谱分析(SPME-GC-MS)方法对不同炖煮温度下的燕窝进行挥发性成分测定。结果:随着炖煮温度的升高,熟制燕窝的黏附性显著下降(P<0.01),回复性显著升高(P<0.05)。GC-MS从熟化后的燕窝中检出有效风味物质12种,其中醇类3种、醛类2种、酯类2种、酮类3种、酸类1种、醚类1种,分别占95,105,115℃熟制燕窝总检出物质的6.23%,49.34%,54.85%。结论:炖煮温度影响燕窝口感以及加工后的总体气味轮廓,熟制温度升高趋向于加强蛋清风味。95℃的样品中挥发性物质以酸类为主,105℃的样品以醇类为主,115℃的样品以酮类、醇类为主。