Objective:To isolate and identify active constituents from Gracilaria chorda extract prepared under subcritical water conditions at 210℃(GCSW210)and evaluate their anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects in 3T3-L1 adi...Objective:To isolate and identify active constituents from Gracilaria chorda extract prepared under subcritical water conditions at 210℃(GCSW210)and evaluate their anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet(HFD)-induced obese zebrafish larvae.Methods:GCSW210 was fractionated through solvent partitioning,ion-exchange chromatography,and silica gel medium-pressure liquid chromatography,followed by preparative high performance liquid chromatography.At each step,bioactivities were assessed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by Oil Red O staining and 2-NBDG uptake assays.The most active fractions were further purified,and isolated compounds were tested in HFD-induced obese zebrafish larvae.Results:Liquid chromatography-hyphenated analysis with reference standards identified two major compounds in GCSW210:5-hydroxymethylfurfural and bis(5-formylfurfuryl)ether.Both compounds significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and modulated gene expression associated with adipogenesis,glucose metabolism,and inflammation in zebrafish.They also enhanced glucose uptake,reduced circulating glucose levels,and improved insulin sensitivity.Notably,the effects were comparable to those of the crude GCSW210 extract.In silico docking studies confirmed stable interactions of both compounds with key metabolic and inflammatory targets,with bis(5-formylfurfuryl)ether showing stronger binding affinities.Conclusions:These findings suggest that 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and bis(5-formylfurfuryl)ether are key contributors to the therapeutic activity of Gracilaria chorda,highlighting its potential as a functional food ingredient for the prevention or management of metabolic disorders.展开更多
In trace metal (TM)-contaminated agricultural soils,management of TM availability is important for safe crop production.In addition,maintenance or improvement of soil quality is vital for sustainable crop cultivation....In trace metal (TM)-contaminated agricultural soils,management of TM availability is important for safe crop production.In addition,maintenance or improvement of soil quality is vital for sustainable crop cultivation.Decreased TM phytoavailability and increased soil quality can be achieved by the application of various immobilizing agents to soil,which can supply both macronutrients and organic matter.This study investigated the long-term influences of four common immobilizing agents on soil biogeochemical properties and the phytoavailability of TMs in mixed metal-contaminated soil from a cultivated upland near an abandoned mining site.Lime (L),gypsum (G),fly ash (F),and animal manure-based compost (C) were applied to pots containing contaminated soil,either individually or in combination.After incubation for three years under sequential cultivation of two crops and fallow,soil biogeochemical properties were determined,and Brassica rapa plant bioassay was performed.The phytoavailability of all TMs (both cationic metals and anionic metalloids) remained significantly lower in soils treated with immobilizing agents even after three years,when compared with the no-agent control (CK) soil.In addition,the soil quality was significantly improved by treatment with immobilizing agents.For instance,the C and L+C treatments were the most effective in improving soil physical (bulk density,porosity,and water-resistant aggregate stability),chemical (pH,organic matter,total nitrogen,cation exchange capacity,and plant-available phosphorus,magnesium,and potassium),and biological (microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity) properties.The improvement of soil properties and lowering of TM bioavailability were also consistent with the most significant increase in B.rapa biomass production observed in the C treatment,followed by the L+C,G+F,L,G,F,and L+G treatments,as compared with that in CK.These results indicate that the function of the TM-immobilizing agent as a soil quality conditioner,in addition to its TM immobilizing effect,should be considered when selecting such agents for agricultural or ecological applications.展开更多
In the field of biomechanics,customizing complex strain fields according to specific requirements poses an important challenge for bioreactor technology,primarily due to the intricate coupling and nonlinear actuation ...In the field of biomechanics,customizing complex strain fields according to specific requirements poses an important challenge for bioreactor technology,primarily due to the intricate coupling and nonlinear actuation of actuator arrays,which complicates the precise control of strain fields.This paper introduces a bioreactor designed with a 9×9 array of independently controllable dielectric elastomer actuators(DEAs),addressing this challenge.We employ image regression-based machine learning for both replicating target strain fields through inverse control and rapidly predicting feasible strain fields generated by the bioreactor in response to control inputs via forward control.To generate training data,a finite element analysis(FEA)simulation model was developed.In the FEA,the device was prestretched,followed by the random assignment of voltages to each pixel,yielding 10,000 distinct output strain field images for the training set.For inverse control,a multilayer perceptron(MLP)is utilized to predict control inputs from images,whereas,for forward control,MLP maps control inputs to low-resolution images,which are then upscaled to high-resolution outputs through a super-resolution generative adversarial network(SRGAN).Demonstrations include inputting biomechanically significant strain fields,where the method successfully replicated the intended fields.Additionally,by using various tumor-stroma interfaces as inputs,the bioreactor demonstrated its ability to customize strain fields accordingly,showcasing its potential as an advanced testbed for tumor biomechanics research.展开更多
文摘Objective:To isolate and identify active constituents from Gracilaria chorda extract prepared under subcritical water conditions at 210℃(GCSW210)and evaluate their anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet(HFD)-induced obese zebrafish larvae.Methods:GCSW210 was fractionated through solvent partitioning,ion-exchange chromatography,and silica gel medium-pressure liquid chromatography,followed by preparative high performance liquid chromatography.At each step,bioactivities were assessed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by Oil Red O staining and 2-NBDG uptake assays.The most active fractions were further purified,and isolated compounds were tested in HFD-induced obese zebrafish larvae.Results:Liquid chromatography-hyphenated analysis with reference standards identified two major compounds in GCSW210:5-hydroxymethylfurfural and bis(5-formylfurfuryl)ether.Both compounds significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and modulated gene expression associated with adipogenesis,glucose metabolism,and inflammation in zebrafish.They also enhanced glucose uptake,reduced circulating glucose levels,and improved insulin sensitivity.Notably,the effects were comparable to those of the crude GCSW210 extract.In silico docking studies confirmed stable interactions of both compounds with key metabolic and inflammatory targets,with bis(5-formylfurfuryl)ether showing stronger binding affinities.Conclusions:These findings suggest that 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and bis(5-formylfurfuryl)ether are key contributors to the therapeutic activity of Gracilaria chorda,highlighting its potential as a functional food ingredient for the prevention or management of metabolic disorders.
基金supported by Gyeongsang National University Grant in 2020–2021。
文摘In trace metal (TM)-contaminated agricultural soils,management of TM availability is important for safe crop production.In addition,maintenance or improvement of soil quality is vital for sustainable crop cultivation.Decreased TM phytoavailability and increased soil quality can be achieved by the application of various immobilizing agents to soil,which can supply both macronutrients and organic matter.This study investigated the long-term influences of four common immobilizing agents on soil biogeochemical properties and the phytoavailability of TMs in mixed metal-contaminated soil from a cultivated upland near an abandoned mining site.Lime (L),gypsum (G),fly ash (F),and animal manure-based compost (C) were applied to pots containing contaminated soil,either individually or in combination.After incubation for three years under sequential cultivation of two crops and fallow,soil biogeochemical properties were determined,and Brassica rapa plant bioassay was performed.The phytoavailability of all TMs (both cationic metals and anionic metalloids) remained significantly lower in soils treated with immobilizing agents even after three years,when compared with the no-agent control (CK) soil.In addition,the soil quality was significantly improved by treatment with immobilizing agents.For instance,the C and L+C treatments were the most effective in improving soil physical (bulk density,porosity,and water-resistant aggregate stability),chemical (pH,organic matter,total nitrogen,cation exchange capacity,and plant-available phosphorus,magnesium,and potassium),and biological (microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity) properties.The improvement of soil properties and lowering of TM bioavailability were also consistent with the most significant increase in B.rapa biomass production observed in the C treatment,followed by the L+C,G+F,L,G,F,and L+G treatments,as compared with that in CK.These results indicate that the function of the TM-immobilizing agent as a soil quality conditioner,in addition to its TM immobilizing effect,should be considered when selecting such agents for agricultural or ecological applications.
基金supported by the Purdue startup funding to A.C.and by NSF award 2301509.
文摘In the field of biomechanics,customizing complex strain fields according to specific requirements poses an important challenge for bioreactor technology,primarily due to the intricate coupling and nonlinear actuation of actuator arrays,which complicates the precise control of strain fields.This paper introduces a bioreactor designed with a 9×9 array of independently controllable dielectric elastomer actuators(DEAs),addressing this challenge.We employ image regression-based machine learning for both replicating target strain fields through inverse control and rapidly predicting feasible strain fields generated by the bioreactor in response to control inputs via forward control.To generate training data,a finite element analysis(FEA)simulation model was developed.In the FEA,the device was prestretched,followed by the random assignment of voltages to each pixel,yielding 10,000 distinct output strain field images for the training set.For inverse control,a multilayer perceptron(MLP)is utilized to predict control inputs from images,whereas,for forward control,MLP maps control inputs to low-resolution images,which are then upscaled to high-resolution outputs through a super-resolution generative adversarial network(SRGAN).Demonstrations include inputting biomechanically significant strain fields,where the method successfully replicated the intended fields.Additionally,by using various tumor-stroma interfaces as inputs,the bioreactor demonstrated its ability to customize strain fields accordingly,showcasing its potential as an advanced testbed for tumor biomechanics research.
