In order to evaluate the effects of continuous cropping of millet on soil nutrients and soil enzyme activities, the present study was based on four treatments of 2 years of continuous cropping (T1), 3 years of continuous cropping (T2), 4 years of continuous cropping (T3) and rotational cropping (CK), based on 4 years of no fertilizer positioning experiments, and the soil nutrients, soil enzyme activities and millets yields were determined, respectively. The results showed that with the increase of continuous cropping years, the millet yield decreased and was significantly lower than that of rotating with legume crops, and compared with CK, the yields of T1, T2 and T3 treatments were reduced by 8.92%, 13.73% and 37.60%, respectively; the soil nitrogen and phosphorus contents were reduced, the quick-acting potassium content did not change obviously, and the soil pH was increased; Soil urease, alkaline phosphatase, sucrase and catalase activities generally showed a decreasing trend and the decrease was more significant with the increase in the number of years of continuous cropping. Therefore, in order to maintain the soil fertility and increase the millet yield, it is necessary to practice crop rotation and stubble reversal between millets and leguminous crops such as kidney beans, and to apply certain fertilizers.

The study of the genetic determinants of the disaccharidase activity opens up new prospects for improving diagnostics and choosing medical tactics in gastroenterology. The aim of the study was to systematize the data on the role of the sucrase-isomaltase gene (SI) in regulating sucrose metabolism and the contribution of SI mutations to the prevalence of sucrose malabsorption disorders (sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, SID) and certain forms of enterological pathology in different population groups. Material and methods. A review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature, mainly in the PubMed database (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and eLibrary (https://elibrary.ru), was conducted using key words: carbohydrate malabsorption, sucrase, sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, sucrase-isomaltase SI gene. The search depth was not specified, but particular attention was paid to recent publications. The gnomAD database (https://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/snp/rs781470490) was also used. Results. According to the review results, 37 out of 150 known SI gene mutations have been confirmed to contribute to reduced sucrase activity or restricted sucrase production. The prevalence of point mutations in the SI gene is estimated at 0.0006%, but carrier rates of the SI delAG deletion (rs781470490), manifested as homozygosity in SID, are very high (5-21%) in indigenous populations of Arctic regions in East Asia and America. Medicalgenetic research methods improve the accuracy of differential diagnosis of primary and secondary SID and other forms of disaccharide and polysaccharide malabsorption. The formation of databases on the prevalence of genetic determinants of sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency is a promising way to refine the epidemiology of SID. There is an increased (0.2-2.3%) risk of clinical manifestations of SID in homozygous carriers of the SI delAG mutation in the Chukotka, Kamchatka, and Northern Priochotye populations. Verification of reports on a less pronounced tendency to lipid metabolism disorders in SI delAG carriers compared with the control group is recommended. Conclusion. Manifestations of mutant SI variants in the phenotype are associated with the presence of accompanying carbohydrate malabsorption variants and specific gut microbiota. The SI 15Phe variant (rs9290264) may contribute to the development of irritable bowel syndrome.

Bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) are considered superior in terms of stability and function with respect to its monometallic counterparts. Hence, in the present study Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower extract was used to synthesis copper-iron bimetallic nanoparticles (HF-FCNPs). HF-FCNPs was characterized and its applications (biological and environmental) were determined. HF-FCNPs were spherical in shape with high percentage of copper inducted into the NPs. HF-FCNPs inhibited mammalian glucosidases [maltase (IC50: 548.71 ± 61.01 µg/mL), sucrase (IC50: 441.34 ± 36.03 µg/mL), isomaltase (IC50: 466.37 ± 27.09 µg/mL) and glucoamylase (IC50: 403.12 ± 14.03 µg/mL)], alpha-amylase (IC50: 16.27 ± 1.73 µg/mL) and acetylcholinesterase [AChE (IC50: 0.032 ± 0.004 µg/mL)] activities. HF-FCNPs showed competitive inhibition against AChE, maltase and sucrase activities; mixed inhibition against isomaltase and glucoamylase activities; whereas non-competitive inhibition against α-amylase activity. HF-FCNPs showed zone of inhibition of 16 ± 2 mm against S. mutans at 100 µg/mL concentration. HF-FCNPs inhibited biofilm formation of dental pathogen, S. mutans. SEM and confocal microscopy analysis revealed the disruption of network formation and bacterial cell death induced by HF-FCNPs treatment on tooth model of S. mutans biofilm. HF-FCNPs efficiently removed hexavalent chromium in pH-independent manner and followed first order kinetics. Through Langmuir isotherm fit the qmax (maximum adsorption capacity) was determined to be 62.5 mg/g. Further, HF-FCNPs removed both anionic and cationic dyes. Altogether, facile synthesis of HF-FCNPs was accomplished and its biological (enzyme inhibition and antibiofilm activity) and environmental (catalyst to remove pollutants) applications have been understood.

Nitraria roborowskii Kom (NRK), with high economic and ecological value, is mainly distributed in the Qaidam Basin, China. However, research on its chemical components and bioactivities is still rare. In this study, its chemical constituents (52) including 10 β-carboline alkaloids, nine cyclic peptides, three indole alkaloids, five pyrrole alkaloids, eight phenolic acids and 17 flavonoids were identified tentatively using UPLC-triple-TOF-MS/MS. Notablely, one new β-carboline alkaloid and five new cyclic peptides were confirmed using MS/MS fragmentation pathways. In addition, experiments in vitro indicated that NRK-C had strong maltase and sucrase inhibitory activities (IC50 of 0.202 and 0.103 mg/mL, respectively). Polysaccharide tolerance experiments confirmed NRK-C (400 mg/kg) was associated with decreased postprandial blood glucose (PBG) in diabetic mice. These results suggested that NRK fruit might be used as a functional ingredient in food products.

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci sensu lato) have a wide host range and are globally important agricultural pests. In Sub-Saharan Africa, they vector viruses that cause two ongoing disease epidemics: cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic virus disease. These two diseases threaten food security for more than 800 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Efforts are ongoing to identify target genes for the development of novel management options against the whitefly populations that vector these devastating viral diseases affecting cassava production in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to identify genes that mediate osmoregulation and symbiosis functions within cassava whitefly gut and bacteriocytes and evaluate their potential as key gene targets for novel whitefly control strategies. The gene expression profiles of dissected guts, bacteriocytes and whole bodies were compared by RNAseq analysis to identify genes with significantly enriched expression in the gut and bacteriocytes. Phylogenetic analyses identified three candidate osmoregulation gene targets: two α-glucosidases, SUC 1 and SUC 2 with predicted function in sugar transformations that reduce osmotic pressure in the gut; and a water-specific aquaporin (AQP1) mediating water cycling from the distal to the proximal end of the gut. Expression of the genes in the gut was enriched 23.67-, 26.54- and 22.30-fold, respectively. Genome-wide metabolic reconstruction coupled with constraint-based modeling revealed four genes (argH, lysA, BCAT & dapB) within the bacteriocytes as potential targets for the management of cassava whiteflies. These genes were selected based on their role and essentiality within the different essential amino acid biosynthesis pathways. A demonstration of candidate osmoregulation and symbiosis gene targets in other species of the Bemisia tabaci species complex that are orthologs of the empirically validated osmoregulation genes highlights the latter as promising gene targets for the control of cassava whitefly pests by in planta RNA interference.

Phenolics of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves (MLs) have potential anti-diabetic effects, but they may be chemically modified during gastrointestinal digestion so affect their biological activity. In this study, an in vitro digestion model coupled with Caco-2 monolayer and Caco-2/insulin-resistant HepG2 coculture model were used to study the transport and hypoglycemic effects of phenolics in raw MLs (U-MLs) and solid-fermented MLs (F-MLs). The results of LC-MS/MS analysis showed that the Papp (apparent permeability coefficient, 10-6cm/s) of phenolics in digested MLs ranged from 0.002 ± 0.00 (quercetin 3-O-glucoside) to 60.19 ± 0.67 (ferulic acid), indicating higher phenolic acids absorbability and poor flavonoids absorbability. The Papp values of phenolic extracts of F-MLs in Caco-2 monolayer were significantly higher (p > 0.05) than that of U-MLs. Digested phenolic extracts inhibited the activities of sucrase (60.13 ± 2.03 %) and maltase (82.35 ± 0.78 %) and decreased 9.28 ± 0.84 % of glucose uptake in Caco-2 monolayer. Furthermore, a decrease in the mRNA expression of glucose transporters SGLT1 (0.64 ± 0.18), GLUT2 (0.14 ± 0.02) and the sucrase-isomaltase (0.59 ± 0.00) was observed. In Caco-2/insulin-resistant HepG2 co-culture model, phenolic extracts regulated glucose metabolism by up-regulating the mRNA expressions of IRS1 (9.32-fold), Akt (17.07-fold) and GYS2 (1.5-fold), and down-regulating the GSK-3β (0.22-fold), PEPCK (0.49-fold) and FOXO1 (0.10-fold) mRNA levels. Both U-MLs and F-MLs could improve glucose metabolism, and the partial least squares (PLS) analysis showed that luteoforol and p-coumaric acid were the primary phenolics that strongly correlated with the hypoglycemic ability of MLs. Results suggested that phenolics of MLs can be used as dietary supplements to regulate glucose metabolism.

Targeting multiple factors such as oxidative stress, alpha glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) are considered advantageous for the treatment of diabetes and diabetes associated-cognitive dysfunction. In the present study, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flowers anthocyanin-rich extract (HRA) was prepared. Phytochemical analysis of HRA using LC-ESI/MS/MS revealed the presence of various phenolic acids, flavonoids and anthocyanins. HRA showed in vitro antioxidant activity at low concentrations. HRA inhibited all the activities of mammalian glucosidases and AChE activity. The IC50 value of HRA for the inhibition of maltase, sucrase, isomaltase, glucoamylase and AChE was found to be 308.02 ± 34.25 µg/ml, 287.8 ± 19.49 µg/ml, 424.58 ± 34.75 µg/ml, 408.94 ± 64.82 µg/ml and 264.13 ± 30.84 µg/ml, respectively. Kinetic analysis revealed mixed-type inhibition against all the activities except for glucoamylase (competitive) activity. In silico analysis confirmed the interaction of two active constituents cyanidin 3-sophoroside (CS) and quercetin 3-O-sophoroside (QS) with four subunits, n-terminal and c-terminal subunits of human maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase as well as with AChE. Molecular dynamics simulation, binding free energy calculation, DCCM, PCA, PCA-based free energy surface analysis ascertained the stable binding of CS and QS with target proteins studied. HRA could be used as complementary therapy for diabetes and cognitive improvement.

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) exert various effects on strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duchesne) yields. In this study, we employed an orthogonal experimental design (T1-T9) with three fertilization treatments (N, P, and K) at three levels to identify an optimal fertilization scheme for strawberry cultivation. The effects of fertilizer combinations the rhizosphere soil microbial community were also explored by using bacterial full-length 16S rRNA and fungal ITS (internal transcribed spacer) sequencing (30 samples for each analysis). The results showed that the average plant height and leaf area of the fertilized groups were 24.6% and 41.6% higher than those of the non-fertilized group (T0). After 60 d of planting, the sucrase activity in the T6 group increased by 76.67% compared to the T0 group, with phosphate fertilizer exerting a more significant impact on sucrase activity. The T6 treatment group had the highest alpha diversity index among bacterial and fungal microorganisms, and had a different microbial community structure compared with the control group. The most abundant bacterial taxa in the strawberry rhizosphere soil were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Acidobacteriota, and the most abundant fungal phyla were Monoblepharomycota, Glomeromycota, and Mucoromycota. Application of the optimal combined fertilizer treatment (T6) significantly increased the abundance of Proteobacteria and altered the abundance of Gemmatimonas compared to other treatment groups. Notably, Gemmatimonas abundance positively correlated with strawberry plant height and soil N, P, and K levels. These findings indicated that the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria could be enhanced by the application of an optimal fertilizer ratio, ultimately improving strawberry agronomic traits.

A theoretical analysis of the potential inhibition of human sucrase-isomaltase (SI) by flavonoids was carried out with the aim of identifying potential candidates for an alternative treatment of type 2 diabetes. Two compounds from maize silks, maysin and luteolin, were selected to be studied with the structure-based density functional theory (DFT), molecular docking (MDock), and molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. The docking score and MD simulations suggested that the compounds maysin and luteolin presented higher binding affinities in N-terminal sucrase-isomaltase (NtSI) than in C-terminal sucrase-isomaltase (CtSI). The reactivity parameters, such as chemical hardness (η) and chemical potential (µ), of the ligands, as well as of the active site amino acids of the NtSI, were calculated by the meta-GGA M06 functional in combination with the 6-31G(d) basis set. The lower value of chemical hardness calculated for the maysin molecule indicated that this might interact more easily with the active site of NtSI, in comparison with the values of the acarbose and luteolin structures. Additionally, a possible oxidative process was proposed through the quantum chemical calculations of the electronic charge transfer values (∆N) between the active site amino acids of the NtSI and the ligands. In addition, maysin displayed a higher ability to generate more oxidative damage in the NtSI active site. Our results suggest that maysin and luteolin can be used to develop novel α-glucosidase inhibitors via NtSI inhibition.

Staphylococcus aureus integrated with mecA gene, which codes for penicillin-binding protein 2a, is resistant to all penicillins and other beta-lactam antibiotics, resulting in poor treatment expectations in skin and soft tissue infections. The development of a simple, sensitive and portable biosensor for mecA gene analysis in S. aureus is urgently needed. Herein, we propose a dual-toehold-probe (sensing probe)-mediated exonuclease-III (Exo-III)-assisted signal recycling for portable detection of the mecA gene in S. aureus. When the target mecA gene is present, it hybridizes with the sensing probe, initiating Exo III-assisted dual signal recycles, which in turn release numerous \"3\" sequences. The released \"3\" sequences initiate catalytic hairpin amplification, resulting in the fixation of a sucrase-labeled H2 probe on the surface of magnetic beads (MBs). After magnet-based enrichment of an MB-H1-H2-sucrase complex and removal of a liquid supernatant containing free sucrase, the complex is then used to catalyze sucrose to glucose, which can be quantitatively detected by a personal glucose meter. With a limit of detection of 4.36 fM for mecA gene, the developed strategy exhibits high sensitivity. In addition, good selectivity and anti-interference capability were also attained with this method, making it promising for antibiotic tolerance analysis at the point-of-care.