Pathway Analysis and Metabolites Identification by Metabolomics of Etiolation Substrate from Fresh-Cut Chinese Water Chestnut (Eleocharis tuberosa).

Fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts (CWC) turn yellow after being peeled, reducing their shelf life and commercial value. Metabolomics, the systematic study of the full complement of small molecular metabolites, was useful for clarifying the mechanism of fresh-cut CWC etiolation and developing methods to inhibit yellowing. In this study, metabolic alterations associated with etiolation at different growth stages (0 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days) from fresh-cut CWC were investigated using LC-MS and analyzed by pattern recognition methods (principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA)). The metabolic pathways of the etiolation molecules were elucidated. The main metabolic pathway appears to be the conversion of phenylalanine to p-coumaroyl-CoA, followed by conversion to naringenin chalcone, to naringenin, and naringenin then following different pathways. Firstly, it can transform into apigenin and its derivatives; secondly, it can produce eriodictyol and its derivatives; and thirdly it can produce dihydrokaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. The eriodictyol can be further transformed to luteolin, cyanidin, dihydroquercetin, dihydrotricetin, and others. This is the first reported use of metabolomics to study the metabolic pathways of the etiolation of fresh-cut CWC.

Treatment with propranolol for infantile hemangiomas: A case series of 106 infants.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical benefit and side effects of propranolol treatment in 106 children with infantile hemangiomas (IHs). A retrospective chart review was conducted on all children who attended the clinic between September 16, 2009 and November 11, 2013. Propranolol was administered in a progressive schedule reaching 1.0-1.5 mg/kg/day, divided into three doses. Demographic data, clinical features, imaging, treatment regimens and outcomes were investigated. Any adverse effects following medication were evaluated and managed accordingly. Preliminary analysis of the data showed the inclusion of 106 children (71 female and 35 male) with a mean age and weight at onset of treatment of 5.1 months and 7.3 kg, respectively. All 106 patients responded positively to treatment. Side effects that required intervention and/or close monitoring included diarrhea (n=10), hypotension (n=7), nightmares (n=2), agitation (n=1) and cold extremities (n=1). No long-term adverse effects were observed in any of the patients. In conclusion, propranolol administered orally at 1.0-1.5 mg/kg/day had a rapid therapeutic effect for resolving IHs with few complications.

Signature candidate of quantum chaos far from the semiclassical regime.

We numerically investigated the entanglement product in the simplest coupled kicked top model with the spin j = 1. Different from the dynamical pattern of entanglement in the semiclassical regime, two similar initial states may have discordant entanglement oscillations. A candidate of the quantum signature of this classical chaotic system was proposed. The potential antimonotonic relation between the rank correlation coefficient qualifying the concordant of two entanglement evolutions and the stationary entanglement was preliminarily revealed.

Effect of cold adaptation on activities of relevant enzymes and antioxidant system in rats.

Exercise in cold environments can cause significant metabolic regulation and antioxidant behavior. For discussing enzymatic responses towards cold adaptation, we investigated enzyme activities of adenylate cyclase (AC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) in liver, skeletal muscle, and brown adipose tissue (BAT), as well as Na(+)·K(+) ATPase and Na(+)/K(+) ratio in blood. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in blood were also studied to address the effect of cold adaptation on oxidative damage and antioxidant system. Experimental results indicated that enzyme activities in liver, skeletal muscle and BAT maintained relatively constant for the control group. For the cold adaptation group, enzyme activities in liver and skeletal muscle were in high levels at the beginning, and then gradually decreased to similar values with the control group. However, enzyme activities in BAT performed an increasing trend and significantly higher than the control at the end. In addition, decreased oxidative damage and activated antioxidant system was observed along with the cold adaptation process.

The effect of pre-competition training on biochemical indices and immune function of volleyball players.

OBJECTIVE: Pre-competition sports training can have varying effects on an athlete's immune function, including causing reduced resistance. The aim of this study was to explore effects of pre-competition training on some biochemical indices and immunologic functions in top-level volleyball athletes to determine whether training should be modified for optimal health. METHODS: Biochemical indices (Hb, BUN, CK, LDH) and immunologic function (IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+)) were detected by semiautomatic biochemistry analyzer, light scattering photometer, or flow cytometry in sera from 24 top-level volleyball athletes and compared before and after pre-competition training. RESULTS: After training, the levels of Hb, IgA, IgG, IgM, and CD4(+) and the CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio decreased significantly, while BUN, CK, LDH, and CD8(+) increased significantly (P < 0.05). Further, the decrease in Hb levels in female athletes was more significant than that in male athletes (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that pre-competition training affects biochemical indices and immunologic function in this group of athletes. Additionally, more dramatic changes in Hb in female athletes may indicate a need for adapted training loads and rest periods for females.

[Study on enzyme extraction technology of total flavonoids from Cryptotaenia japonica].

OBJECTIVE: To study the optimum enzyme extraction process of total flavonoids from Cryptotaenia japonica. METHODS: The process was optimized by single factor experiments and orthogonal, the yield of total flavonoids was used as index. RESULTS: The optimum extraction technology was as follows: enzyme dosage: 1U/mL, pH value: 6.0, enzymatic hydrolysis temperature: 60%, enzymatic hydrolysis time: 1 h, the rate of material to liquid: 1 : 30, extraction temperature: 70 degrees C, extraction time: 1 h, the average extraction rate of total flavonoids from Cryptotaenia japonica was 4.76%. CONCLUSION: The method is an effective way to extract total flavonoids from Cryptotaenia japonica with high extract rate.

Diffusion and entanglement of a kicked particle in an infinite square well under frequent measurements.

We investigate the dynamics of a kicked particle in an infinite square well undergoing frequent measurements of energy. For a large class of periodic kicking forces, constant diffusion is found in such a non-Kolmogorov-Arnol'd-Moser system. The influence of a phase shift of the kicking potential on the short-time dynamical behavior is discussed. The general asymptotical measurement-assisted diffusion rate is obtained. The entanglement between the particle and the measuring apparatus is investigated. There exist two distinct dynamical behaviors of entanglement. The bipartite entanglement between the system of interest and the whole spin of the measuring apparatus grows with the kicking steps and it gains a larger value for a more chaotic system. However, the partial entanglement between the system of interest and the partial spin of the measuring apparatus decreases with the kicking steps. The relation between the entanglement and quantum diffusion is also analyzed.

[Microscopic study on skin and soft tissue after repeated expansion].

OBJECTIVE: The study was to evaluate the microscopic changes on skin and soft tissue after repeated expansion for clinical work. METHODS: Six little pigs were divideded as: conventional expansion group, repeated expansion group, and blank control group. Histologic, ultrastructure and bFGF of the skin were observed and measured in each group after samples had been made. RESULTS: The skin and soft tissue after repeated expansion were healthy on the whole. Compared with the conventional expansion group, there was more microscopic change in the repeated expansion group. Collagen fibers were injured evidently. Cells were injured slightly and proliferated much more, and moreover, they were more activated. The content of bFGF was more higher. CONCLUSIONS: The skin and soft tissue after repeated expansion are healthy on the whole by more growth and more repair though repeated expansion may result in more injuries. So repeated expansion is safe and feasible.