Exploring the Effect of Milk Fat on Fermented Milk Flavor Based on Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) and Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

Milk fat is a premium nutritional health product, yet there is a lack of high-fat dairy products for daily consumption in the current market. This study investigated the influence of different milk fat contents on the physicochemical and textural properties of fermented milk. The research revealed that an increase in milkfat content significantly improved the water-holding capacity, syneresis, color, hardness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness of fermented milk, while showing minimal changes in pH and total titratable acidity. Response surface analysis indicated that fermented milk with 25% milk fat, 2.5% inoculum, a fermentation time of 16 h, and a fermentation temperature of 30 °C exhibited the highest overall acceptability. Using GC-IMS technology, 36 volatile compounds were identified, with an increase in milk fat content leading to elevated levels of ketone compounds, and 14 compounds were defined as key aroma compounds (ROAV > 1). Electronic nose distinguished samples with different milk fat contents. The results demonstrate that an increase in milk fat content enhances the physicochemical and flavor attributes of fermented milk. This work provides theoretical references for the production and development of high-fat fermented milk.

The Effects of Ultrasonic and Gamma Irradiation on the Flavor of Potato Wines Investigated by Sensory Omics.

Aroma is one of the most fascinating and least-known mysteries of Baijiu research. The volatile compounds (VOCs) of potato wine were evaluated by sensory omics techniques in order to comprehend their overall flavor characteristics and investigate the effects of ultrasonic treatment and gamma irradiation therapy on the aroma of the wine. The findings revealed that a total of 14 flavor compounds were identified by GC-MS. Isoamyl alcohol, ethyl octanoate, and 1,1-diethoxyethane were the key aroma components, according to GC-O analysis. A total of 50 volatile substances were identified by GC-IMS. After being subjected to irradiation and ultrasonic treatment, the alcohol level of the potato wine reduced while the esters content increased. By calculating the relative odor activity value, a total of 29 aroma components were classified as key aroma compounds (ROAV > 1). According to the results of the sensory evaluation-fruity, Fen-flavor, and sweet-and the acceptability of the irradiated and ultrasonicated potato wine were improved. Therefore, the use of ultrasonic and irradiation therapy in potato wine, as well as the overall aroma building of potato wine, can be supported theoretically by this study.

Antifatigue Effect of Panax Notoginseng Leaves Fermented With Microorganisms: In-vitro and In-vivo Evaluation.

Fatigue is a common physiological phenomenon caused by many complicated factors. Excessive fatigue will lead to a series of uncomfortable reactions and damage body health. Panax notoginseng leaves (PNL) is a new resource food that good for soothing nerves, nourishing the heart, and strengthening the spleen. Microbial fermentation could increase the content of bio-ingredients and produce new active ingredients. However, the effect of fermented P. notoginseng leaves (FPNL) on antifatigue and the molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the antifatigue effect of co-fermented P. notoginseng leaves by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis in-vitro and in-vivo, and its mechanism was further elucidated. The results showed that FPNL exhibited higher saponins, organic phenolic acids content, and antioxidant activity than PNL. FPNL improved ISO-induced H9c2 myocardial cell damage by alleviating apoptosis (modulating Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression) and reducing antioxidant activity in-vitro. Moreover, in-vivo experiment showed that FPNL significantly prolonged the weight-loading swimming time of mice. After gavaged FPNL, the levels of liver glycogen (LG) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were increased in mice. In contrast, the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lactate acid, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were decreased. In summary, our results indicated that FPNL showed a good antifatigue effect in-vivo and in-vitro.

Microstructural Study of Arc Beads in Aluminum Alloy Wires with an Overcurrent Fault.

To clarify the understanding and analysis of arc molten marks in electrical faults of aluminum alloy wires, this paper simulates overcurrent faults of aluminum alloy wires at currents of 128 A-224 A and uses thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray energy spectroscopy (EDS) to characterize the effects of current on the microstructure of arc beads. The results show that there are small and large amounts of Al-Si and Al-Fe binary phases in the metallographic structure of the aluminum alloy wires at the rated current, the grains are fine, and there are no significant grain boundaries. After an overcurrent fault occurs in the wires, a high-temperature arc causes the second phase in the aluminum alloy to disappear, a cellular dendritic metallographic structure appears, the grain boundaries become more well-defined, and composition segregation occurs at the grain boundaries. Using Image-Pro-Plus software to quantify the grain characteristics, the average grain size is found to gradually decrease as the current increases. In addition, by comparing and analyzing the characteristics of arc beads in aluminum wires and aluminum alloy wires under the same conditions, alloying elements are found to have a refining effect on the grain boundaries, and there are coarse precipitates at the grain boundaries in the aluminum wire arc beads.

Microstructural Characteristics of Arc Beads with Overcurrent Fault in the Fire Scene.

Arc beads are high-temperature luminous electric discharges that form across a gap between two bodies, which is one of the vital forensic pieces of evidence for the evaluation of electrical fires. In this study, based on an actual electrical fire, the microstructure of arc beads from a copper wire that experienced an overcurrent fault was investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the effects of the overcurrent intensity on the grain morphology, trace elements, and microstructure of the arc beads were analyzed. The results showed that the simulated metallographic structure of the arc beads is mainly dendrite at four times the rated current, which is consistent with the fire scene. With an increase in the overcurrent, the average diameter, perimeter, and area of the grains increased, while the dendrite growth was inhibited by the overcurrent. In addition, the main trace elements were Cu, C, O, and Cl. When the current increased, the Cu content gradually decreased and tended to be stable, while the C content gradually increased. The conclusion of this research provided a scientific reference for identifying the melting trace in a copper conductor under overcurrent fault.

MicroRNA-513a-3p regulates colorectal cancer cell metabolism via targeting hexokinase 2.

Disruption of cell metabolism is a hallmark of cancer cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are involved in almost all physiological and pathological processes. The aberrant expression of miRNAs induces metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells and thus, promotes proliferation. In the current study, miR-513a-3p was identified as a significantly downregulated miRNA in colorectal cancer cells and tumors. Overexpression of miR-513a-3p in colorectal cancer cells inhibited proliferation and glycolysis. A well-documented metabolic regulator, hexokinase 2 (HK2), was predicted and validated HK2to be a target gene of miR-513a-3p in colorectal cancer cells. In addition, overexpression of HK2 reversed the miR-513a-3p mimic-induced inhibition of proliferation. The association between HK2 and miR-513a-3p was further observed in tumors collected from patients with colorectal cancer. The findings suggest that miR-513a-5p may inhibit glycolysis in colorectal cancer cells via repressing HK2 expression, indicating that miR-513a-5p may be a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer.

NPTX1 inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation through down-regulating cyclin A2 and CDK2 expression.

Colon cancer is the third most common malignancy and one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Neuronal pentraxin 1 (NPTX1) is associated with tumor progression in some types of tumors. However, its expression and role in colon cancer has not been yet reported. Here we observed that NPTX1 was down-regulated in colon cancer. Additionally, we explored the functional significance of NPTX1 in colon cancer. We found that over-expression of NPTX1 inhibited colon cancer cell growth by performing MTT, colony formation, Edu corporation assays, and cell cycle analysis. In vivo mouse experiments also confirmed the anti-proliferative role of NPTX1 in colon cancer. Further mechanistic study showed that over-expression of NPTX1 inhibited the expression of cyclin A2 and CDK2 in colon cancer cells, thereby regulating the Rb-E2F signaling. In summary, these findings reveal that NPTX1 suppress the colon cancer cell growth and might serve as a useful potential target for treatment of colon cancer.

High-resolution melting assay (HRMA) is a simple and sensitive stool-based DNA Test for the detection of mutations in colorectal neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Stool-based DNA testing for colorectal cancer is becoming a favored alternative to existing DNA screening tests. However, current methods of analysis often become more complicated and costly with increased sensitivity. The high-resolution melting assay (HRMA) is a simple and rapid mutation scanning method with low cost and superb accuracy. In this study, we verified the accuracy of HRMA for screening KRAS/TP53 mutations in stool-isolated DNA from patients with colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Comparing to direct DNA sequencing, the accuracy of HRMA was verified by detecting KRAS/TP53 mutations in 2 independent stages. In study stage I, both tissue and stool samples from colorectal neoplasm patients were analyzed. In study stage II, stool samples from patients with colorectal neoplasms, and normal controls in clinical screening settings were examined. RESULTS: In study stage I, the HRMA identified 14 of 17 target mutations (82.4%) in stools from cancer patients, and 4 of 5 (80.0%) target mutations in stools from advanced adenoma patients. The mutation detection rate in fecal samples (45.0%; 18/40) and referred tissue samples (55.0%; 22/40) was highly consistent (κ = 0.79). The HRMA detected 1% mutant DNA in a background of wild type DNA. In study stage II, the HRMA assay detected 58.8% (20/34) mutations in tumor samples, 41.5% (17/41) in advanced adenomas samples, and 3.33% (2/60) in age-matched normal control samples. The results from HRMA and DNA sequencing revealed 100% sensitivity and specificity in both tissue and stool samples. CONCLUSION: HRMA is a simple, reliable, and sensitive method for detecting DNA mutations in the stool samples from patients with colorectal neoplasms.

[Screening of high-risk group with colorectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To measure the rate of high-risk group and the detection rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) in communities in Guangdong province and to provide scientific rationales for formulating mass screening plans in high-risk group. METHODS: Mass survey was conducted by questionnaire combined fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in Huizhou region, Guangdong Province, to sort out the high-risk population of CRC. Then the high-risk population was screened by colonoscopy and pathology to identify CRC. The differences were compared by direct expenditure which was used to calculate screening cost. RESULTS: A total of 68,953 people were surveyed. There were 940 people in high-risk group (detection rate: 1.36%), 3118 in immunity FOBT positive group (detection rate: 4.52%), Merging aforementioned two groups, there were 3870 in population at risk (detection rate: 5.61%). The CRC detection rate in high-risk group, immunity FOBT positive group, population at risk and average-risk group was 506.3/10(5), 314.3/10(5), 315.9/10(5) and 17.7/10(5) respectively. The positive predictive value of CRC screening scheme by high-risk group questionnaire-colonoscopy was 0.43% while CRC screening scheme by FOBT-colonoscopy 0.22%. In terms of direct expenditure of CRC per case in high-risk group and immunity FOBT positive group was 47,834.5 yuan and 82,303.6 yuan. The latter was 1.7 times than that of the former. CONCLUSIONS: The scheme of questionnaire combined FOBT for CRC is an effective way in mass survey. The scheme by high-risk group questionnaire-colonoscopy has a much better cost-effectiveness than that of the scheme by FOBT-colonoscopy so that it should be one of the preferred methods for individual screening in high-risk group.

Colorectal cancer in Guangdong Province of China: a demographic and anatomic survey.

AIM: To determine the basic demographic features of colorectal cancer (CRC) in five hospitals located in four different areas of Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A review of patient records from 1986 to 2006 from five hospitals was conducted. Patient data was obtained, including age, gender, location of lesions, staging and histological type of CRC. The Chi-square test was used to assess differences in rates and a significance level of 0.05 was used. Univariate comparisons were made via Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Analysis was carried out on 8172 CRC patents, 6.1% (499/8172) of the patients were aged < or = 30 years. The peak incidence was between the ages 61-70 years (27.8%). The mean age at CRC diagnosis increased from 52 years (1986-1988) to 60 years (2004-2006) and the proportion of young CRC patients decreased from 8.0% to 5.9% over the same period. Of 8172 lesions, 4434 (54.3%) were located in rectum and 3738 (45.7%) in colon. The incidence of rectal cancer decreased significantly from 59.4% (1989-1991) to 51.8% (2004-2006) and right sided colon cancer increased from 40.6% to 48.2%. The mean age, anatomic distribution, histological type and differentiation degree were significantly different among the four geographical areas (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The hospitalization rate for CRC has increased in Guangdong in recent years. The characteristics of CRC from the five hospitals located in the four different areas of Guangdong Province are also different. Further studies are needed to assess more recent trend in the incidence and prevalence of CRC as well as the respective roles of genetic and environmental factors in CRC.

Clinical significance of HSP27 expression in colorectal cancer.

The heat shock protein 27-kDa (HSP27) has been found overexpressed in several types of human cancer and is associated with treatment resistance and poor prognosis. Recent proteomic studies demonstrate that HSP27 is significantly overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the relationship between HSP27 expression and patient prognosis remains nascent. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the expression of HSP27 and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters in CRC patients. Dysregulated expression of HSP27 was observed in neoplastic lesions, and appears to be involved in disease progression. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that detectable HSP27 expression was found in 145/182 (79.7%) CRC cases. There was a significant correlation between HSP27 expression and TNM stage (P=0.003). Patients with low HSP27 expression had better survival than those with high HSP27 expression. Additionally, multivariate analysis indicated that HSP27 expression is an independent prognostic marker for CRC. These results suggest that elevated expression of HSP27 protein is a frequent event during the progression of CRC. HSP27 might be used as a valuable prognostic marker for patients with CRC.

[Epidemiology investigation of colorectal cancer on community group in Guangdong province].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the epidemiology characteristics of colorectal cancer on community group in Guangdong province. METHODS: Huidong was took as the research spot to investigate the sickness and incidence of colorectal cancer among a whole community group in Guangdong province, and two projects were used simultaneously: "screening of colorectal cancer in high risk group" and "screening project using fecal occult blood test". The numeration time for population of 10 towns was set at July 1, 2005. Five towns were sampled out from Huidong with 100,859 persons. Meanwhile, the diseases and death cause registering system was established. RESULTS: The incidence of colorectal cancer in Huidong community group was 15.2/100,000 (male 17.2/100,000, female 13.0/100,000), the age-adjusted incidence was 17.6/100,000 (male 19.5/100,000, female 16.7/100,000). The morbidity was 41.9/100,000 (male 46.5/100,000, female 37.2/100,000), the age-adjusted morbidity was 49.0/100,000 (male 54.1/100,000, female 45.6/100,000). The mortality was 5.0/100,000 (male 5.9/100,000, female 4.0/100,000) and the age-adjusted morbidity was 6.4/100,000 (male 7.2/100,000, female 5.7/100,000). CONCLUSION: The incidence of colorectal cancer in Huidong community group is lower than that of high incidence area in China, but gets close to the normal incidence area of China and general level of the world.

[The trend of clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer during the past 20 years in Guangdong province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the trend of clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer during the past 20 years in Gaungdong province. METHODS: The clinical data of 3870 cases of colorectal cancers confirmed pathologically who were hospitalized to Nanfang Hospital and Huizhou Municipal Hospital, Guangdong province, 1985 - 2004 were divided into 5-year groups and analyzed. RESULTS: The hospitalization number of colorectal cancer in the 2000 - 20004 5-year period was 102%, higher than that of the 1985 - 1989 period with an annual increase of 5.1%. The median age of incidence 2000 - 2004 was 58.6 years, 8.4 years higher than that in 1985 - 1989. The male to female ratio of the 3870 patients was 1.42:1. The male to female ratio 2000 - 2004 was 1.35:1, lower than that 1985 - 1989 (1.50:1). The proportion of rectal cancer 2000 - 2004 was 49.7%, significantly lower than that in 1985 - 1989 (64.8%), while the proportion of right hemi-colon cancer 2000 - 2004 was 28.7%, significantly higher than that in 1985 - 1989 (18.0%). The proportion of moderately and well differentiated cancer 2000 - 2004 was 80.6%, higher than that in 1985 - 1989 (70.1%), and the proportion of poorly differentiated cancer 2000 - 2004 was 19.4%, lower than that in 1985 - 1989 (29.9%). The proportion of colorectal cancer at Dukes A stage 2000 - 2004 was 9.8%, higher than that in 1985 - 1989 (3.2%). CONCLUSION: In the past 20 years, the incidence of colorectal cancer has increased in Guangdong province with a n increase of median age of incidence, The male to female ratio has decreased, and the incidence of right hemi-colon cancer, the rates of higher differentiated cancer and Dukes A stage cancer have increased.