Optimization of Protease Treatment Conditions for Chlorella pyrenoidosa Protein Extraction and Investigation of Its Potential as an Alternative Protein Source.

This study aimed to determine enzymes that effectively extract Chlorella pyrenoidosa proteins and optimize the processing conditions using response surface methods. Furthermore, the potential of enzymatically hydrolyzed C. pyrenoidosa protein extract (CPE) as a substitute protein source was investigated. The enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for protein extraction were optimized using single-factor analysis and a response surface methodology-Box-Behnken design. The R2 value of the optimized model was 0.9270, indicating the reliability of the model, and the optimal conditions were as follows: a hydrolysis temperature of 45.56 °C, pH 9.1, and a hydrolysis time of 49.85 min. The amino acid composition of CPE was compared to that of C. pyrenoidosa powder (CP), which was found to have a higher content of essential amino acids (EAA). The electrophoretic profiles of CP and CPE confirmed that CPE has a low molecular weight. Furthermore, CPE showed higher antioxidant activity and phenol content than CP, with ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging abilities of 69.40 ± 1.61% and 19.27 ± 3.16%, respectively. CPE had high EAA content, antioxidant activity, and phenol content, indicating its potential as an alternative protein source. Overall, in this study, we developed an innovative, ecofriendly, and gentle enzymatic hydrolysis strategy for the extraction and refinement of Chlorella proteins.

Randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of self-expanding bare metal nitinol stent and balloon angioplasty alone for below-the-knee lesions following successful balloon angioplasty: 1-year clinical outcomes.

This prospective, multicenter, randomized study aimed to compare the 1-year clinical outcomes after primary stenting with self-expanding bare metal nitinol stent (SENS) and plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA) in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and below-the-knee (BTK) lesions. Overall, 119 patients with CLI and BTK lesions were randomized to POBA alone (POBA group, 61 patients) or primary stenting with SENS (stenting group, 58 patients) after achieving acceptable POBA results in target BTK lesions. Clinical outcomes including amputation and revascularization rates were prospectively compared for 1 year. After 1 year, similar incidence rates of individual clinical endpoints, including cardiac death (6.5% vs. 5.1%, p > 0.999), myocardial infarction (1.6% vs. 0.0%, p > 0.999), repeat revascularization (19.6% vs. 18.9%, p = 0.922), target lesion revascularization (13.1% vs. 17.2%, p = 0.530), and amputation (4.9% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.244), were observed. POBA appeared to have acceptable treatment outcomes compared with primary stenting with SENS after 1 year in CLI patients with BTK lesions undergoing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA).