Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

ABSTRACTType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by impaired glucose and lipid metabolism and remains a global health challenge due to limitations in current treatments. This study evaluated the effects of wheat germ peptide (WGP) on metabolic regulation and its underlying mechanisms in a T2DM rat model induced by a high‐fat diet and streptozotocin. Post‐WGP treatment, glucose consumption, glycogen content, hexokinase (HK) and pyruvate kinase (PK) activities, and lipid profiles were measured. Protein expression levels of suppressor of cytokine signaling‐3 (SOCS3), insulin receptor substrate‐1 (IRS1), phosphorylated IRS1 (p‐IRS1), protein kinase B (Akt), phosphorylated Akt (p‐Akt), GLUT2, glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β), phosphorylated GSK‐3β (p‐GSK‐3β), Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1), glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G6Pase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPARα), sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1 (SREBP1), acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), phosphorylated ACC (p‐ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were examined via Western blot analysis. Results demonstrated that WGP treatment significantly lowered plasma glucose, insulin levels, and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance index while enhancing glucose consumption, glycogen synthesis, and activities of HK and PK. Furthermore, WGP alleviated hyperlipidemia. Western blot results showed reduced expression levels of SOCS3, FOXO1, PEPCK, G6Pase, and the p‐IRS1/IRS1 ratio, alongside increased expression of GLUT2, p‐Akt/Akt, and p‐GSK‐3β/GSK‐3β ratios. WGP also elevated PPARα and p‐ACC/ACC ratios while reducing SREBP1 and FAS expression levels. In conclusion, WGP enhances glucose metabolism via the SOCS3/IRS1/AKT signaling pathway and ameliorates hyperlipidemia by modulating lipid metabolism in diabetic rats.

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is a key source of plant protein, with 7S and 11S globulins being the primary fractions. This study investigated the protein content, protein composition, and 11S/7S globulin ratios of 411 soybean samples, and then selected six varieties (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6) for the analysis of the protein structures and functional properties. The results revealed that varieties with low 11S/7S ratios (S1, S2, and S3) exhibited relatively high random coil contents (20.11–22.94%) and lower β-sheet contents (34.17–38.37%), suggesting the presence of more loosely structured proteins. S2 showed good solubility (73.21%) and water-holding capacity (WHC) (2.73 g/g), which can improve product quality and yield. In contrast, varieties with high 11S/7S ratios (S4, S5, and S6) demonstrated more compact protein structures, increased surface hydrophobicity, larger particle sizes, lower absolute zeta potential values, and greater oil-holding capacity (OHC) values (7.58–8.48 g/g). S4, in particular, demonstrated superior emulsification properties, with emulsion activity index (EAI) (4.71 m2/g) and emulsion stability index (ESI) (58.73 min), which are widely used in the food industry such as in cake, ice cream, and bread. This study provides valuable information for the selection of soybean varieties with optimal 11S/7S ratios for processing soybean products.

Prokaryotes have evolved diverse defense strategies against viral infection, including foreign nucleic acid degradation by CRISPR-Cas systems and DNA and RNA synthesis inhibition through nucleotide pool depletion. Here, we report an antiviral mechanism of type III CRISPR-Cas–regulated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion in which ATP is converted into inosine triphosphate (ITP) by CRISPR-Cas–associated adenosine deaminase (CAAD) upon activation by either cA 4 or cA 6 , followed by hydrolysis into inosine monophosphate (IMP) by Nudix hydrolase, ultimately resulting in cell growth arrest. The cryo–electron microscopy structures of CAAD in its apo and activated forms, together with biochemical evidence, revealed how cA 4 or cA 6 binds to the CRISPR-associated Rossmann fold (CARF) domain and abrogates CAAD autoinhibition, inducing substantial conformational changes that reshape the structure of CAAD and induce its deaminase activity. Our results reveal the mechanism of a CRISPR-Cas–regulated ATP depletion antiviral strategy.

This study examines the effect of unfunded national environmental regulations on local governments’ land value capture. Exploiting the substantial variation in the regulatory intensity of China's Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan implemented in 2013, we find that environmental regulation increases the growth of land granting fees for prefectural governments. Environmental regulation reduces the local general public budget revenue by shrinking the tax base while increasing the local general public budget expenditure. The post-2013 increase in the net income from land granting could fille more than half of the general public budget gap. Environmental regulation also boosts real estate market development and urbanization through its effect on land granting. We discuss local responses to the unfunded environmental regulation over an extended historical period and conclude that the granting of land use rights significantly enhances the flexibility of legal local government revenue, thereby improving China's fiscal system.

ABSTRACTPectin, a plant‐derived polysaccharide, is highly valued for its gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties, with extensive applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of pectin's structure, categorized by its degree of methyl esterification (DM) and key components, including homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonans (RG‐I and RG‐II). The influence of diverse extraction methods, such as subcritical water and microwave‐assisted techniques, on its structure and functionality is critically examined. Furthermore, the review investigates the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) profiles of pectin, emphasizing how structural factors like molecular weight, DM, and neutral sugars impact bioavailability and interactions with gut microbiota. Notably, this review highlights emerging research methodologies, offering novel insights into pectin's pharmacokinetics. By addressing these interrelationships, the review underscores pectin's potential applications in functional foods, personalized nutrition, and targeted therapeutics and identifies key knowledge gaps for future research.

Drawing on land use data of typical mineral resource-based cities throughout the world from 1990 to 2020, this study offers a comprehensive analysis of spatial structural evolution across different developmental stages. Employing life cycle theory and urban morphological analysis, the study uncovered the spatial evolutionary trajectories of each city, after which the common rules were summarized. Initially, these cities exhibited a scattered urban structure. With the exploitation of mining resources, high-vitality areas became increasingly agglomerated around one or several mining centers with the urban structure evolving from the construction stage to the growth and maturity stages. Subsequently, cities may face decline due to resource depletion or achieve regeneration through strategic urban transformation. The main forces driving these processes lie in geographical features, market-driven industrial changes, and government interventions. The study contributes to understanding the spatial evolution of mineral resource-based cities by providing a detailed examination of the whole life cycle and underscores the importance of bottom-up industrial upgrading and top-down political guidance in shaping urban spatial structures.