Antioxidant capacity, flavor and physicochemical properties of FH06 functional beverage fermented by lactic acid bacteria: a promising method to improve antioxidant activity and flavor of plant functional beverage.

The ability of natural plants to treat chronic diseases is closely related to their antioxidant function. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation is an effective way to improve the nutritional value, biological activity and flavor of food. This study investigated the pH, titratable acidity, total polysaccharide, total flavone, total saponin, total polyphenol, and antioxidant activity of the FH06 beverage before and after probiotic fermentation. Results: After fermentation, FH06 had lower contents of total polysaccharides, total flavonoids, total saponins and total polyphenols but higher titratable acidity. The antioxidant activity was tested by total antioxidant capacity (FRAP method) and DPPH· scavenging ability. The FRAP value significantly increased after fermentation (P < 0.05), and the maximum increase was observed for Lactobacillus fermentum grx08 at 25.87%. For DPPH· scavenging ability, the value of all fermentations decreased, and L. fermentum grx08 had the smallest reduction at 2.21% (P < 0.05). The results of GC-MS and sensory analysis showed that fermentation eliminated bad flavors, such as grass, cassia and bitterness, and highlighted the fruit aroma and soft sour taste. Conclusion: The FRAP value and sensory flavor of FH06 fermentation by L. fermentum grx08 were significantly improved, indicating its great potential as a functional food with both strong antioxidant activity and good flavor. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13765-022-00762-2.

In Vitro Anti-Obesity Effect of Shenheling Extract (SHLE) Fermented with Lactobacillus fermentum grx08.

Obesity is a common global problem. There are many fat-reducing herbal prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine that have been proven to be safe and functional during long-term application. Microbial fermentation can improve the efficacy of herbal medicine and improve the unsavory flavor. In this study, Shenheling extract (SHLE) composed of six medicine food homology materials was used as the research object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillusfermentum grx08 fermentation on the antiobesity efficacy and flavor of SHLE. We found that L. fermentum grx08 grew well in SHLE. After 72 h of fermentation, the total polysaccharides, total flavonoids, total polyphenols and total saponins of SHLE decreased, but the lipase inhibitory activity and total antioxidant capacity (FRAP) were significantly increased (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the α-glucosidase inhibition rate and DPPH· clearance rate before or after fermentation (p > 0.05). In addition, the fermentation reduces the unpleasant flavors of SHLE such as bitterness and grassy and cassia flavors. This study demonstrates that SHLE fermented by L. fermentum grx08 improved some anti-obesity functions and improved the unpleasant flavor.

Distinct trajectories of perinatal depression in Chinese women: application of latent growth mixture modelling.

BACKGROUND: Current research on perinatal depression rarely pays attention to the continuity and volatility of depression symptoms over time, which is very important for the early prediction and prognostic evaluation of perinatal depression. This study investigated the trajectories of perinatal depression symptoms and aimed to explore the factors related to these trajectories. METHODS: The study recruited 550 women during late pregnancy (32 ± 4 weeks of gestation) and followed them up 1 and 6 weeks postpartum. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Latent growth mixture modelling (LGMM) was used to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. RESULTS: Two trajectories of perinatal depressive symptoms were identified: "decreasing" (n = 524, 95.3%) and "increasing" (n = 26, 4.7%). History of smoking, alcohol use and gestational hypertension increased the chance of belonging to the increasing trajectories, and a high level of social support was a protective factor for maintaining a decreasing trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified two trajectories of perinatal depression and the factors associated with each trajectory. Paying attention to these factors and providing necessary psychological support services during pregnancy would effectively reduce the incidence of perinatal depression and improve patient prognosis.

Normal Pregnancy and Birth Despite Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm: Another Case for the Record.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac abnormality. Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms in pregnancy are of course rarer still. We present a case in which an aneurysm ruptured into the right ventricular outflow tract during pregnancy. In 2012, a 26-year-old Chinese woman, in the 18th week of pregnancy and with no apparent evidence of cardiac problems, was diagnosed with atrioventricular septal defects and a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm that had ruptured into her right ventricular outflow tract. After an uncomplicated full-term pregnancy, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy by cesarean section. Fifty days postpartum, the patient underwent surgical repair of the ruptured aneurysm and other cardiac defects. Her surgical outcome was good. As of May 2013, the patient and her baby were healthy. Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm in pregnancy can be asymptomatic, and women with such a rupture can have a normal full-term pregnancy and give birth to healthy babies. Cesarean section is preferable for pregnant women with ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm because the hemodynamic changes associated with labor can aggravate the aneurysm. Surgical repair should be performed as soon as the patient's condition allows.

Roles of Long Non-Coding RNA CCAT2 in Cervical Cancer Cell Growth and Apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the potential function of lncRNA CCAT2 in cervical cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. MATERIAL/METHODS: Expression level of CCAT2 in cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa, CaSki, and SiHa) was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. CCAT2 knockdown was established by transfecting siRNA into human cervical cancer cells. Its effects on cell proliferation were studied using cell-counting kit-8 assay. The effect of CCAT2 on cervical cancer cells cycle and apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry assay. RESULTS: CCK8 assay showed that CCAT2 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation in HeLa, CaSki, and SiHa cells. The flow cytometry confirmed the results that knockdown of CCAT2 could induce cervical cancer cells cycle G1 phase arrestment and trigger the cells apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA CCAT2 promoted the proliferation and survival of cervical cancer cells.

[Expression and regulatory mechanism of microRNA-155 in the villi of patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression and the mechanism of miR-155in the villi of patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). METHODS: The expression of miR-155 in the villi of 36 cases with URSA (URSA group) and 25 women with normal early pregnancy (control group) were detected by stem-loop real-time reverse transcription (RT) qPCR.Expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and micro lymphatic vessel density (MVD) in the villi of were measured by immnohistochemical staining among two groups. RESULTS: (1)miR-155 expression:the mean miR-155 expression were 1.456 (0.489, 2.459) in URSA group and 2.833 (1.740, 3.794) in control group, which reached statistical difference (P < 0.05). The mean expression of miR-155 of 1.683 (0.902, 2.459) in URSA group with abortion times ( ≤ 3) was significantly higher than 1.229 (0.489, 1.719) in URSA group with more than 4 times abortion (P < 0.05). (2) Indexes :the expression of HIF-1α, VEGF and MVD value were 121 ± 12, 134 ± 12, 36 ± 6 in URSA group and 99 ± 10, 109 ± 10, 28 ± 4 in control group, which reached statistical difference (P < 0.01). The expression of HIF-1α, VEGF and MVD value of 119 ± 12, 134 ± 12, 35 ± 5 in URSA group with less than 3 times abortion was significantly lower than 128 ± 12, 138 ± 12, 43 ± 6 in URSA group with more than 4 times abortion (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of miR-155 and HIF-1α is topically stimulated by oxygen signal.HIF-1α adjusts the transcription and translation of VEGF, which together involved in placental trophoblast invasion and placental angiogenesis. The low expression of miR-155 could interfere with expression of HIF-1α and VEGF, which might be involved in villous vascular dysplasia in URSA.

[Expression of FHIT genes in CIN and cervical carcinoma and the relationship between FHIT gene and p53 and HPV16/18].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and significance of FHIT genes depletion, p53 overexpression and HPV16/18 infection in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical carcinoma (CC). METHODS: Tumor samples taken from 52 cases of CIN and 69 cases of CC were processed by immunohistochemistry (SP) to determine the expression of FHIT genes and p53 protein, by in situ hybridization to detect HPV16/18 infection, and were compared with those in 18 cases of normal cervical tissues as control. RESULTS: (1) The FHIT expression was positive in normal cervical tissue with no depletion occurred, and was 30.8% in CIN. It was significantly higher in CIN III and carcinoma groups than that in normal and CIN I/II groups (P < 0.01). The depleted expression of FHIT in infiltrating cervical carcinoma group was 66.7% (46/69), significantly higher than that in normal and CIN groups (P < 0.01). Along with the decreasing of cell differentiation, the negative rate of FHIT raised. (2) The positive expression of p53 in CC group was 56.5% (39/69) and the HPV16/18 was 84.1% (58/69), both higher than that in CIN and normal groups (P < 0.05). (3) In CIN and CC groups, the positive rate of p53 in cases with positive or negative FHIT expression was similar (P > 0.05). (4) There is a negative correlation between FHIT and p53 expression. The rate of HPV16/18 infection in the depleted expression of FHIT group was significantly higher than that in FIHT normal expression group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: (1) The FHIT-depletion is related with cervical carcinogenesis. It may be used as a marker to serve mass screening of CIN-high risk subjects and diagnostic indicator for early cervical carcinoma. (2) Depleted expression of FHIT is frequently associated with p53 over-expression in CIN and CC subjects, but there is no direct correlation between them. (3) HPV16/18 infection may probably be the common cause leading to altered FHIT and p53 expression.