Effect of Cultivar, Temperature, and Environmental Conditions on the Dynamic Change of Melatonin in Mulberry Fruit Development and Wine Fermentation.

High levels of melatonin have been reported in various foods but not in mulberry or its wine. This study investigated the dynamic changes of melatonin levels during mulberry fruit development and ethanol fermentation of 2 different colored mulberry cultivars ("Hongguo2Ë® Morus nigra, black and "BaiyuwangË® Morus alba, white) at 2 fermentation temperatures (16 and 25 °C). Our results showed that the melatonin level increased in the beginning of mulberry development but decreased in the end. The MnTDC gene expression level correlated with melatonin production, which implied that TDC may be the rate-limiting enzyme of the melatonin biosynthetic process in mulberries. During mulberry fermentation, the melatonin concentration increased rapidly in the beginning and then decreased gradually. Low temperature delayed the melatonin production during fermentation. A relatively high level of melatonin was found in "Hongguo2Ë® compared with "BaiyuwangË® during fruit development and fermentation. The variation of melatonin correlated with the ethanol production rate, suggesting that melatonin may participate in physiological regulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the fermentation stage.

Study on the correlation of cytokine gene polymorphism with chronic periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of gene polymorphism IL-1B +3953 and TNF-A-308 and the genetic susceptibility to moderate-to-advanced adult periodontitis(AP). METHODS: PCR-RFLP technique was used to identify IL-1B +3953 and TNF-A-308 genotype. Multivariate logistic regression model was utilized to assess the relationship of IL-1B +3953 and TNF-A-308 positive genotype to disease status while adjusting for other potential confounders. RESULTS: The frequency of IL-1B +3953 (28.23%) and TNF-A-308 (29.03%) allele 2 positive genotype in patients with moderate-to-advanced AP showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control group frequency (13.95% IL-1B +3953 and 11.05% TNF-A-308), and the difference was of much significance (P < 0.01 in both group). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that IL-1B +3953 and TNF-A-308 allele 2 positive genotype may increase the odds of having moderate-to-advanced AP and the IL-1B +3953 (P < 0.05) and TNF-A-308 (P < 0.01) allele 2 positive genotype was of statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: IL-1B +3953 and TNF-A-308 allele 2 positive genotype have closer correlation with moderate-to-advanced AP.