During the MEDiterranean International Acoustic Survey (MEDIAS) carried out in 2016 and 2017 in the Northern Alboran Sea in July, a benthic scattering layer located mainly in Malaga Bay was acoustically detected at multiple frequencies and biologically identified using different sampling devices (plankton net and pelagic trawl). This layer mainly corresponded to an anchovy larvae aggregation ranged 2 and 40 mm standard length. Our results pointed out that anchovy larvae massively migrate from the surface to the bottom near the coast, until the 70 m isobath, forming large aggregations acoustically detected as a scattering benthic layer, in which small schools form and emerge. This work has highlighted the potential of acoustic surveys such as MEDIAS to generate anchovy recruitment success indicators complementary and simultaneously to the traditional ones (biomass of the reproductive stock) and their great utility as a fisheries management tool in areas such as the Alboran Sea where the fishing resource is scarce. | 1,586

The epithelium is one of the important tissues in the body as it plays a crucial barrier role serving as a gateway into and out of the body. Most organs in the body contain an epithelial tissue component, where the tightly connected, organ-specific epithelial cells organize into cysts, invaginations, or tubules, thereby performing distinct to endocrine or exocrine secretory functions. Despite the significance of epithelium, engineering functional epithelium in vitro has remained a challenge due to it is special architecture, heterotypic composition of epithelial tissues, and most importantly, difficulty in attaining the apico-basal and planar polarity of epithelial cells. Bioprinting has brought a paradigm shift in fabricating such apico-basal polarized tissues. In this review, we provide an overview of epithelial tissues and provide insights on recapitulating their cellular arrangement and polarization to achieve epithelial function. We describe the different bioprinting techniques that have been successful in engineering polarized epithelium, which can serve as in vitro models for understanding homeostasis and studying diseased conditions. We also discuss the different attempts that have been investigated to study these 3D bioprinted engineered epithelium for preclinical use. Finally, we highlight the challenges and the opportunities that need to be addressed for translation of 3D bioprinted epithelial tissues towards paving way for personalized healthcare in the future.

Animal models have been extensively used as a gold standard in various biological research, including immunological studies. Despite high availability and ease of handling procedure, they inadequately represent complex interactions and unique cellular properties in humans due to inter-species genetic and microenvironmental differences which have resulted in clinical-stage failures. Organoid technology has gained enormous attention as they provide sophisticated insights about tissue architecture and functionality in miniaturized organs. In this review, we describe the use of organoid system to overcome limitations in animal-based investigations, such as physiological mismatch with humans, costly, time-consuming, and low throughput screening. Immune organoids are one of the specific advancements in organogenesis ex vivo, which can reflect human adaptive immunity with more physiologically relevant aspects. We discuss how immune organoids are established from patient-derived lymphoid tissues, as well as their characteristics and functional features to understand immune mechanisms and responses. Also, some bioengineering perspectives are considered for any potential progress of immuno-engineered organoids.

This study focused on the modification of lentinan (LNT) and its degradation product, dLNT, through the nitric acid-sodium selenite method, resulting in the synthesis of 4 distinct seleno-polysaccharide (Se-LNTs). The selenium moiety was found to be connected to the C6 position of LNT in the form of selenate. The selenization process led to a notable reduction in molecular weight and an augmentation in chain rigidity. As the molecular weight decreased and chain rigidity increased, the cellular uptake of Se-LNT diminished. Additionally, the uptake pathway transitioned from macropinocytosis to caveolin-mediated endocytosis (CVME). In vitro cell experiments showed that all four Se-LNTs showed obvious anti-tumor activity, and Se-LNT-2 had higher selenium content and cellular uptake rate, showing better inhibitory effect. Furthermore, Se-LNTs were observed to induce a substantial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HCT116 cells. The excessive ROS levels triggered mitochondrial peroxidation damage, escalating mitochondrial inner membrane permeability. This cascade event eventually led to the activation of caspase-3, ultimately leading to apoptosis in HCT116 cells and substantiating the anti-tumor effects of Se-LNTs. The comprehensive investigation into the structural modifications, cellular uptake mechanisms and biological activities of Se-LNTs underscores their potential as promising agents for anti-tumor applications.

Cordyceps militaris is a well-known edible medicinal fungus. It has a distinctive sensory quality and contains unique nutrients. It undergoes continuous quality degradation, presenting discoloration, moisture loss, texture changes, and nutrient and flavor loss. In this study, fumigation was performed with different concentrations of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to study the changes in the postharvest quality and physiological indexes of C. militaris during storage at 4°C in polypropylene packaging. The results reveal that fumigation with 1.0 μL/L 1-MCP had the best preservation effect. When stored for 24 days, the respiratory intensity was 435.59 mg/(kg∙h), the lowest weight loss rate was 6.62%, the highest hardness was 3.20 N, and the color change was the smallest. The synthesis of cordycepin, polysaccharides, total phenols, and flavonoids was also promoted. Storage inhibited the synthesis of malondialdehyde and the decrease of the peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, effectively extending the shelf life. This study provides a theoretical basis for the storage and preservation of C. militaris.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease with an increasing incidence rate year by year. It severely diminishes the quality of life for individuals, reduces life expectancy, and poses a significant public health issue in worldwide. Medicinal fungi, as a large group of microorganisms, possess abundant food and medicinal value, as well as vast research potential. This review describes the antidiabetic activities of seven medicinal fungi from subphylum Ascomycota, including Monascus purpureus, Cordyceps militaris, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps cicadae, Shiraia bambusicola, Claviceps purpurea, and Xylaria nigripes. It provides readers with evidence and information on the medicinal fungi (subphylum Ascomycota) with hypoglycemic effects, as well as their compounds for hypoglycemic properties.

Hericium mushrooms are a group of rare medicinal mushrooms that have attracted considerable attention worldwide. In order to gain insight into the current trends and frontiers of Hericium research, we conducted a comprehensive search of the Web of Science (WOS) database to identify relevant literature on Hericium research. Following an optimised search strategy and careful removal of duplicate entries, a total of 839 documents were selected from the core WOS database for bibliometric analysis. We used VOSviewer to visualize the co-occurrence network between publishing organizations, while CiteSpace allowed us to visualize and analyse the national co-occurrence network, author co-occurrence network, keyword co-linearity, keyword clustering and co-citation mapping. Our analysis revealed a significant and continuous increase in the number of publications related to Hericium mushrooms, with a peak observed in 2021. Examination of publication statistics by country (region) and institution identified China and Universiti Malaysia as the leading contributors in their respective fields, with active collaboration with other countries and institutions. The analysis of author co-occurrence suggests that inter-author communications and collaborations may be geographically limited by the research institutions to which they belong. Various keyword-based analyses highlighted the structural diversity and bioactivities of small molecule compounds derived from Hericium mushrooms, underscoring their potential health-protective effects as rare food and medicinal mushrooms. Through co-citation analysis, we identified J. Agr. Food Chem. as the most cited journal for Hericium mushroom research results, while Yoko Kawagishi of Shizuoka University (Japan) emerged as the most cited researcher in the field. Overall, our findings suggest that research into the potential anti-neurodegenerative properties of Hericium mushrooms is a promising area of investigation, with a focus on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of action.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enter human cells by binding its spike protein receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2). In the present work, a novel drug-exploring view (food taste: umami) to interfere SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD and one of its variants (Omicron) into human body was explored by an in-silico study. Their interfering interaction and potential mechanism have been illuminated: 1) 34 umami molecules presenting low binding score (< −7 kcal/mol) in molecular docking bonded with active residues of SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron) S-RBD/hACE2 protein by intermolecular interaction (hydrogen bond, hydrophobic interaction and salt bridge, mainly); 2) 4 umami molecules classified in nucleotides and peptides formed relatively stable protein-ligand contacts during molecular dynamic simulation; 3) 3 critical residues (His34, Glu37, and Asp406) remained positive effects in maintaining the ligand-protein structural stability. Taken together, these 4 umami molecules could be supportive as orally bioactive agents for preventing SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron) S-RBD/hACE2 interaction which needs further experimental assays to prove.