Production of mulberry wine using selenium-enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae: implications from sensory analysis, phytochemical and antioxidant activities.

The present study aims to evaluate the quality of chemical, sensory properties and antioxidant potential of mulberry wine using selenium-enriched yeasts employing eight different methods (MW1-MW8). The selenium-enriched yeast significantly (p < 0.05) increased phytochemical profiles, flavor, quality and antioxidant capacity. The most effective method for raising the selenium level of mulberry wine was using L-seMC (MW5). Mulberry wine color was attributed to the anthocyanins and phytochemical composition with selenium content. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity varied with change in treatment methods suggesting their impact on antioxidant activity. Total selenium content on L-SeMC supplementation proved a significant correlation between selenium content with total anthocyanin content, total polyphenol content and flavonoid content. Sensory analysis by electronic nose exhibited MW2 with high response value in the W2S sensor showing high alcohol concentration. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of 57 volatile aromatic compounds comprehended by esters and alcohol (isoamyl alcohol, 2-methylbutanol, 2,3-butanediol, and phenethyl alcohol). Principal component analysis affirms the response values for four categorical score values with reliability and consistency for all the parameters, significantly. Thus, the workflow demonstrates a simpler, cost-effective traditional methodology for rationalized outcomes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05847-4.

Dissolution rate enhancement of new co-crystals of ezetimibe with maleic acid and isonicotinamide.

Ezetimibe (EZT) is a selective cholesterol absorption inhibitor with poor aqueous solubility (0.012mg/ml 23oC) and low oral bioavailability (about 35-65% for a once 10mg dose). The present study illustrates the preparation and characterization of two new co-crystals of ezetimibe using maleic acid and isonicotinamide as the coformers by solid grinding method. The co-crystal structures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (IR) techniques. Crystallinity and surface morphological characteristics of these prepared co-crystals were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Dissolution rate tests demonstrated that both of the new co-crystals showed significant improvement in sodium lauryl sulfate -sodium acetate buffer solution (PH=4.5) at 15min and 20min. This study enriched the types of EZT co-crystals and identified that pharmaceutical co-crystal engineering technique play an important role in the dissolution rate enhancement of ezetimibe.

The effect of optical properties on photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized TiO2 nanocrystalline solar cells.

In this study, well-crystallized TiO2 nanoparticles with average size of -20 nm were synthesized by hydrolysis of titania salt in aqueous medium. The effect of the optical properties of the obtained titania particles based thin films with different thickness on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells were investigated. Differential thermal analysis/thermo-gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the morphology, structure and crystal formation of the obtained samples. The optical properties such as reflectance and transmittance of the photoanodes with different thickness were systematically investigated. The reflectance property increased with increasing the film thickness, however, the transmittance property showed the opposite way. The improved scattering property with increasing the film thickness facilitated efficient utilization of solar spectrum, which was verified by incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency. The maximum energy conversion efficiency of 5.0% was achieved on photoelectrode film with 17.8 microm.

Analysis of financial support efficiency and influencing factors of listed seed companies from the perspective of energy consumption and carbon emissions.

The seed industry has a prominent role in strengthening ecological stability and national food security as it provides the basic ground for agriculture sector. In the current research, the effectiveness of financial support provided to listed seed enterprises and its influencing factors from the perspectives of energy consumption and carbon emissions are examined using a three-stage DEA-Tobit model. The dataset for the underlined study variables mainly comes from the financial data published by 32 listed seed enterprises and the China Energy Statistical Yearbook from 2016 to 2021. In order to make the results more accurate, the influence of external environmental factors such as economic development level, total energy consumption, and total carbon emission on listed seed enterprises are excluded. The results revealed that the mean value of financial support efficiency of listed seed enterprises increased significantly after excluding the influence of external environmental and random factors. External environmental factors such as regional energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission played an important role in the process of the financial system supporting the development of listed seed enterprises. The development of some listed seed enterprises with high financial support efficiency came at the cost of high local carbon dioxide emission and high energy consumption. Internal factors such as operating profit, equity concentration, financial structure, and enterprise size are the key intra-firm factors that affect the efficiency of financial support for listed seed enterprises. Thus, it is suggested that enterprises must pay attention to the environmental performance to reach a win-win situation in reducing and improving the energy consumption and financial performance, respectively. Similarly, the improvement of energy use efficiency through endogenous and external innovation should be prioritized to achieve sustainable economic development.

GC-MS-based metabolic profiling reveals metabolic changes in anaphylaxis animal models.

Clinical definition and appropriate management of anaphylaxis is a clinical challenge because there is large variability in presenting clinical signs and symptoms. Monitoring of the metabolic status of anaphylaxis may be helpful in understanding its pathophysiological processes and diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to conduct GC-MS serum metabolic profiling of anaphylaxis animal models and search for potential biomarkers of anaphylaxis. Thirty-six guinea pigs were randomly divided into an ovalbumin group (n = 12), a cattle albumin group (n = 12), and a control group (n = 12). The IgE level in the serum of the guinea pigs was evaluated by use of ELISA kits and the major metabolic changes in serum were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Typical clinical symptoms appeared after the animals had been challenged with ovalbumin or cattle albumin. The IgE levels in serum of both model groups were significantly higher than those of the control group. Clustering trend of the three groups based on variables was observed and nine out of 858 metabolomic features were found to be significantly different between control group and model groups. Among the nine features, six features were tentatively identified as metabolites related to energy metabolism and signal transduction in anaphylaxis. In conclusion, GC-MS-based metabolic profiling analysis might be an effective auxiliary tool for investigation of anaphylaxis.

Monitoring hepatitis B by using point-of-care testing: biomarkers, current technologies, and perspectives.

Introduction: Liver diseases caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) are pandemic infectious diseases that seriously endanger human health, conventional diagnosis methods can not meet the requirements in resource-limited areas. The point of acre detection methods can easily resolve those problems. Herein, we review the most recent advances in POC-based hepatitis B detection methods and present some recommendations for future development. It aims to provide ideas for future research.Areas covered: Epidemiological data on Hepatitis B, conventional diagnostic methods for hepatitis B detection, some latest point of care detection methods for hepatitis B detection and list out the recommendations for future development.Expert opinion: This manuscript summarized traditional biomarkers of different hepatitis B stages and recent-developed POCT platforms (including microfluidic platforms and lateral-flow strips) and discuss the challenges associated with their use. Some emerging biomarkers that can be used in hepatitis B diagnosis are also listed. This manuscript has certain guiding significance to the development of hepatitis B detection.

Comparison of plasma and pulmonary availability of chlorogenic acid, forsythiaside A and baicalin after intratracheal and intravenous administration of Shuang-Huang-Lian injection.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The off-label nebulization of Shuang-Huang-Lian (SHL) injection is often utilized to treat respiratory tract infections in China. However, the pulmonary biopharmaceutics of SHL was generally unknown, limiting the rational selection of therapeutic dose and dose frequency. AIM OF THE STUDY: To characterize the size distribution of nebulized aerosols and to compare the pharmacokinetics and the lung distribution of three chemical makers of SHL, chlorogenic acid (CHA), forsythiaside A (FTA) and baicalin (BC), after intratracheal and intravenous administration of SHL to rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The droplet size distribution profiles over nebulization process were dynamically monitored using a laser diffraction method whereas the levels of CHA, FTA and BC in plasma, lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) were determined by a validated LC-MS/MS assay. The pulmonary anti-inflammatory efficacy was evaluated using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced lung inflammation model as indicated by the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in BALF. RESULTS: The nebulization of SHL showed good inhalability and allowed the aerosols to reach the upper or lower respiratory tract dependent on the performance of selected nebulizers. Following intratracheal administration of SHL at different doses, CHA, FTA and BC were absorbed into the bloodstream with the mean absorption time being 67.5, 63.5 and 114 min, respectively, rendering mean absolute bioavailabilities between 42.4% and 61.4% roughly independent of delivered dose. Relative to the intravenous injection, the intrapulmonary delivery increased the lung-to-plasma concentration ratios of CHA, FTA and BC by more than 100 folds and markedly improved the lung availability by 563-676 folds, leading to enhanced and prolonged lung retention. The production of TNF-α in BALF was decreased by ~50% at an intratracheal dose of 125 µL/kg SHL to LPS-treated mice. CONCLUSION: The nebulization delivery of SHL is a promising alternative to the intravenous injection for the treatment of respiratory tract infections.

Comparison of mitochondrial genome and development of specific PCR primers for identifying two scuticociliates, Pseudocohnilembus persalinus and Uronema marinum.

BACKGROUND: Pseudocohnilembus persalinus and Uronema marinum (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia), as parasitic scuticociliatid ciliates, were isolated from Scophthalmus maximus and Takifugu rubripes, respectively, in our previous studies. These ciliates are morphologically very similar; hence, it is difficult to identify specific scuticociliate species using traditional classification methods for performing taxonomic research and disease control studies. METHODS: We annotated the mitochondrial genomes of these two scuticociliates on the basis of previous sequencing, including analyses of nucleotide composition, codon usage, Ka/Ks, and p-distance. We also compared the nucleotide and amino acid similarity of the mitochondrial genomes of P. persalinus, U. marinum, and other 12 related ciliates, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using 16 common genes. We chose the nad4 and nad7 genes to design specific PCR primers for identification. RESULTS: P. persalinus and U. marinum were found to have a close evolutionary relationship. Although codon preferences were similar, differences were observed in the usage of codons such as CGA, CGC, and GTC. Both Ka/Ks and p-distance were less than 1. Except for yejR, ymf57, ymf67, and ymf75, the amino acid sequence similarity between P. persalinus and U. marinum was greater than 50%. CONCLUSIONS: The mitochondrial genomes of P. persalinus and U. marinum were thoroughly compared to provide a reference for disease prevention and control. The specific PCR primers enabled us to identify P. persalinus and U. marinum rapidly and accurately at the molecular level, thus providing a basis for classification and identification.

A complete sequence of mitochondrial genome of Neolamarckia cadamba and its use for systematic analysis.

Neolamarckia cadamba is an important tropical and subtropical tree for timber industry in southern China and is also a medicinal plant because of the secondary product cadambine. N. cadamba belongs to Rubiaceae family and its taxonomic relationships with other species are not fully evaluated based on genome sequences. Here, we report the complete sequences of mitochondrial genome of N. cadamba, which is 414,980 bp in length and successfully assembled in two genome circles (109,836 bp and 305,144 bp). The mtDNA harbors 83 genes in total, including 40 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 31 transfer RNA genes, 6 ribosomal RNA genes, and 6 other genes. The base composition of the whole genome is estimated as 27.26% for base A, 22.63% for C, 22.53% for G, and 27.56% for T, with the A + T content of 54.82% (54.45% in the small circle and 54.79% in the large circle). Repetitive sequences account for ~ 0.14% of the whole genome. A maximum likelihood (ML) tree based on DNA sequences of 24 PCGs supports that N. cadamba belongs to order Gentianales. A ML tree based on rps3 gene of 60 species in family Rubiaceae shows that N. cadamba is more related to Cephalanthus accidentalis and Hymenodictyon parvifolium and belongs to the Cinchonoideae subfamily. The result indicates that N. cadamba is genetically distant from the species and genera of Rubiaceae in systematic position. As the first sequence of mitochondrial genome of N. cadamba, it will provide a useful resource to investigate genetic variation and develop molecular markers for genetic breeding in the future.

[The summa of fourteen years usage for a medical linear accelerator].

This article sum up the fourteen years experience of usage for a linear accelerator in our hospital. The goal is to ensure the secure usage and reduce the damage accidence and attain the rules of quality assurance in radiotherapy by WHO. The ultimate aim is to raise economic benefit and social benefit by linear accelerator.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Amomum villosum and comparative analysis with other Zingiberaceae plants.

Objective: Amomum villosum (AV) is an herb whose dried fruit has been extensively used in modern medicine to treat digestive system diseases such as dysentery, vomiting and abdominal pain. This paper aims to supplement chloroplast (cp) genomic resources and to be used in phylogenetic studies and identification of AV related plants. Methods: High-throughput sequencing technology was used to determine the complete sequence of the AV cp genome, and the sequence was then compared with three related species. Results: The genome size of AV we obtained was 163,968 bp with an obvious tetrad structure. The AV cp genome was observed to contain 125 unique genes and 81 simple sequence repeat (SSRs) had been determined and the majority of which were adenine-thymine (AT)-rich. Comparative analysis of genome sequence of four ginger plants showed that the atpF, clpP and rpl32 genes are potential markers for identifying Amomum species. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that AV was closely related to A. kravanh and A. compactum. Conclusion: These results have brought useful genetic resources for further identification researches, DNA barcoding, resolving taxonomy and understanding the evolutionary mode of Zingiberaceae cp genome.

Effect of Irbesartan on AGEs-RAGE and MMPs systems in rat type 2 diabetes myocardial-fibrosis model.

IMPACT STATEMENT: There are about 425 million diabetes patients (20-79 years) in the world according to the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas - 8th Edition. The cardiovascular complication is one of the major causes of death in diabetes patients. Myocardial fibrosis is one of the serious pathological changes, so investigating the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis has the significant value. Our study aims to investigate the effect of Irbesartan (the angiotensin II receptor antagonist) on the changes of AGE-RAGE system and MMP family components, and analyzes the potential mechanisms in type 2 diabetes-induced myocardial fibrosis. Our results provide the theoretical base for better understanding the pathogenesis in type 2 diabetes-induced myocardial complication. It is useful for clinicians to select the effective therapeutic measures for treatment of type 2 diabetes-induced organ fibrosis.

Potential roles of circulating matrix metalloproteinase-28 (MMP-28) in patients with atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart disease. Previous research has found that several members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family are involved. However, the role of the most recently discovered member of the MMP family, MMP-28, has not been fully investigated. The present study aimed to reveal the role of MMP-28 in atrial fibrillation. MAIN METHODS: 254 patients with sinus rhythm, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, or persistent atrial fibrillation were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Circulating MMP-28, echocardiography, and other clinical variables were measured at hospital admission. Patients were followed for up to 7 months, and the end-point was occurrence of heart failure. KEY FINDINGS: MMP-28 was significantly higher in patients with atrial fibrillation than with sinus rhythm, and MMP-28 level was correlated with left atrial diameter. Additionally, MMP-28 independently predicted follow-up heart failure. Other clinical risk factors were previous myocardial infarction, brain natriuretic peptide, persistent atrial fibrillation, and left atrial diameter. MMP-28 increased the performance of prognostic prediction of heart failure. SIGNIFICANCE: Circulating MMP-28 was elevated in atrial fibrillation. MMP-28 may be related to atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

Homoharringtonine-induced apoptosis of MDS cell line MUTZ-1 cells is mediated by the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway.

Homoharringtonine has been shown to lead to apoptosis of leukemic cells in several studies. Here we showed that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) may be the initial site of apoptotic signal induced by homoharringtonine in MUTZ-1 cells. After incubation with homoharringtonine, the percentage of apoptotic MUTZ-1 cells increased in a time-dependent manner, Ca(2+) translocated from ER pool to cytosol, the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased, and Bid protein translocated from ER to mitochondria. The activation of ER stress-associated proapoptotic factor CHOP and ER chaperones BiP and XBP1 genes followed by cleavage of caspase-3 but not caspase-4 protein were also observed.

Establishment of Reference Interval for Alkaline Phosphatase in Healthy Children of Various Ethnicities, Aged 0-12 Years.

BACKGROUND: To establish a reference interval of alkaline phosphatase for healthy children of various ethnicities, aged 0 years to 12 years in China. METHODS: According to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guideline C28-A3, blood specimens were collected in the morning after overnight fasting from 502 healthy children to determine the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level, using the Beckman AU5800 automatic biochemical analyzer. Children were grouped by sex and age. The age groups were as follows: 0 to 1 year, 1 to 3 years, 3 to 6 years, and 6 to 12 years. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the sex and age groups for the age groups of 0 to 1 year, 1 to 3 years, and 3 to 6 years; as a result, we combined those groups into a single group. The reference interval of ALP is 81.9 to 350.3 U per L in the group aged 0 to 6 years and 48.8 to 445.9 U per L in the group aged 6 to 12 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study establish a reference interval for ALP in healthy children, which will provide a basis for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring bone or liver-related diseases in children.

Clinical observation on 96 cases of primary osteoporosis treated with kidney-tonifying and bone-strengthening mixture.

OBJECTIVE: To objectively evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of Mixture for Nourishing Kidney and Strengthening Bone. METHOD: Among 160 cases of osteoporosis under clinical observation, 96 patients in the treatment group were treated with Mixture for Nourishing Kidney and Strengthening Bone, 32 patients in the control group were given Shen Gu Capsule and 32 patients in the blank group were given no drug in half a year. Observation and determination were conducted on bone mineral density (BMD), clinical symptoms, bone gla protein (BGP), pyridinoline (PYD), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), transaminase and routine test on blood and urine. RESULT: The comprehensive effect in the treatment group was remarkably superior to that in the control group. CONCLUSION: The safe and reliable Chinese drug can enhance BMD, promote osteogenesis and inhibit bone absorption, hence treating osteoporosis with marked effect.

First isolation of Hammondia heydorni from dogs in China.

Fecal samples of 945 dogs were examined microscopically in 2 refuge facilities in China from March 2010 to November 2011. In 8 dogs, oocysts, 9-14 µm in size, were found. Their morphology was similar to those of Hammondia heydorni and Neospora caninum. Sporulated Hammondia/Neospora-like oocysts were fed to 2 dogs, 2 gerbils, 2 guinea pigs, and 2 KM mice; tissues from these inoculated animals were then fed to coccidia-free dogs to determine species susceptibility to these oocysts. Oocysts were not excreted in the feces of dogs or rodents inoculated with oocysts. However, the dogs fed the tissues of gerbils or guinea pigs that were inoculated orally with oocysts excreted fresh oocysts. Dogs fed tissues from guinea pigs inoculated with brain and muscular homogenate from guinea pigs that were fed sporulated Hammondia/Neospora-like oocysts did not excrete oocysts. These findings indicated that the oocysts from naturally infected dogs had an obligatory 2-host life cycle, with gerbils and guinea pigs as intermediate hosts. DNA isolated from these oocysts could not be amplified using N. caninum- and Toxoplasma gondii-specific primers. However, positive amplification with the H. heydorni-specific primers confirmed the presence of H. heydorni DNA in the samples. A comparison of the intron 1 sequence of the alpha tubulin gene with those from H. heydorni from dogs and H. triffittae from foxes showed that dog-derived oocysts possessed a different alpha tubulin gene. Both our dog-derived sequence and 2 previous alpha tubulin gene sequences from H. triffittae from foxes contained a 9-bp insertion relative to 3 sequences of H. heydorni from dogs. However, when the 9-bp insertion from H. triffittae sequences were compared, the 9-bp insertion in our dog-derived sequence had a nucleotide substitution. The present study, therefore, provides new evidence of genetic diversity among isolates from dogs. This is the first survey for H. heydorni in dogs from China.

Age, is it an obstacle for older surgeons to learn laparoscopic approach for colorectal cancer?

Laparoscopic colorectal resection has been extensively accepted for treatment of colorectal cancer. There are several reports about surgeon's age as a factor to have influence on learning laparoscopic approach, and there is no consensus on this point. This study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal resection in period of learning curve completed by surgeons with different age in order to make clear whether older surgeons may learn laparoscopic approach with more difficulty than younger. From July 2010 to August 2012, the first twenty patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection completed by each surgeon were selected for analysis. A total of 240 patients treated by 5 older surgeons with median age of 51 years (range 47-54 years) and 7 younger surgeons with median age of 37 years (range 34-43 years) were divided into group 1 (n = 100) and group 2 (n = 140). The short-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery of the two groups were compared. Two groups were matched in age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), etc. The median number of lymph nodes harvested was 18 (range 7-63) in group 1 and 16 (range 3-66) in group 2 (P = 0.003); The median operative time in group 1 was 185 min (range 105-480 min) compared to 235 min (range 120-470 min) in group 2 (P < 0.001), and blood loss were 150 ml (range 50-400 ml) and 200 ml (range 50-800 ml), respectively (P < 0.001); Conversion rate in group 2 was lower than in group 1 (12.0 vs 18.6 %, P = 0.196). The mean time to passing of first flatus was 3 day (range 2-5 day) in group 1 and 4 day (range 2-6 day) in group 2 (P = 0.001). Older surgeons can master the laparoscopic skill more easily and quickly. Age is not an obstacle for older surgeons to learn laparoscopic approach for colorectal cancer.

Nitrite removal performance and community structure of nitrite-oxidizing and heterotrophic bacteria suffered with organic matter.

Although ammonia oxidation and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have been extensively studied, nitrite oxidation and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are still not well understood. In this article, the effect of organic matter on NOB and heterotrophic bacteria was investigated with functional performance analysis and bacterial community shift analysis. The results showed that at low concentrations of initial sodium acetate [initial sodium acetate (ISA) = 0.5 or 1 g/L], the nitrite removal rate was higher than that obtained under autotrophic conditions and the bacteria had a single growth phase, whereas at high ISA concentrations (5 or 10 g/L), continuous aerobic nitrification and denitrification occurred in addition to higher nitrite removal rates, and the bacteria had double growth phases. The community structure of total bacteria strikingly varied with the different concentrations of ISA; the dominant populations shifted from autotrophic and oligotrophic bacteria (NOB, and some strains of Bacteroidetes, Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and green nonsulfur bacteria) to heterotrophic and denitrifying bacteria (strains of Gammaproteobacteria, especially Pseudomonas stutzeri and P. nitroreducens). The reasons that nitrite removal rate increased with supplement of organic matters were discussed.

A novel lactate biosensor.

A novel disposable lactate biosensor was reported, which can measure the lactate in whole blood and other bio-fluids rapidly, accurately, expediently and directly. The biosensor was based on two kinds of electron mediator, the ferricyanide and the modified carbon nanotubes (CNT). Lactate oxidase (LOD) was coated on the electrodes. The sensor was fabricated by screen-printed techniques, the sample was supplied through capillary action and the volume was controlled by micro cavity. The liner range is 1~15 mmol/l, precision reaches 0.2 mmol/l . Compared with the respondence of sensor without carbon nanotubes, the characteristic of sensor include that is improved obviously.