Prevotella melaninogenica disrupted oral epithelial barrier function via myosin light chain kinase.

OBJECTIVE: Our previous studies have found that the composition ratio of Prevotella melaninogenica (Pm) on buccal mucosa surface of oral lichen planus (OLP) patients increased significantly compared with control. Furthermore, Pm could invade the epithelium of OLP patients. This study aimed to further explore the impact of Pm on oral keratinocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Pm-human oral keratinocyte (HOK) co-culture model was established to detect monolayer permeability, zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) expression, and intracellular survival of Pm. We performed RNA-seq followed by identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, with a particular focus on myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). An MLCK inhibitor ML-7 was utilized in Pm-HOK co-culture model to assess its effects on monolayer permeability and ZO-1 expression. RESULTS: HOK monolayer permeability was increased, and ZO-1 expression was decreased after co-culture (p < 0.05). Pm could survive in HOK cells. RNA-seq revealed MLCK was an upregulated common DEG. The expression of MLCK in the Pm-HOK co-culture model was upregulated. Inhibition of MLCK rescued the increased epithelial permeability, and ZO-1 expression was upregulated (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MLCK may be involved in disrupting epithelial barrier function by Pm.

Analysis of minimal levator ani hiatus area based on MRI in female adults without pelvic floor dysfunction at different age groups.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association of minimal levator ani hiatus area with age in female adults without pelvic floor dysfunction. METHODS: 532 female subjects aged 18 ~ 90 years without pelvic floor dysfunction, divided into four groups (Group A, 18 ~ 29 years old; Group B, 30 ~ 39 years old; Group C, 40 ~ 49 years old; Group D, ≥ 50 years old) based on age, underwent traditional pelvic two-dimensional (2D) T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) axial to the body (AxB) for measuring the minimal levator ani hiatus area. 39 female volunteers were re-recruited to undergo both traditional pelvic 2D T2WI AxB and three-dimensional (3D) T2WI. An axial plane parallel to the direction of the puborectalis muscle (AxPRM) was acquired based on 3D T2WI. The difference of levator ani hiatus area measured on AxB and AxPRM images in 39 female volunteers was compared by one-sample t test, to verify if minimal levator ani hiatus area can be acquired on the traditional pelvic 2D T2WI AxB images. Spearman analysis evaluated the association of minimal levator ani hiatus area with age and the rank-sum test analyzed the area differences among four age groups. RESULTS: Female age was positively correlated with minimal levator ani hiatus area (r = 0.23; p < 0.001). The minimal levator ani hiatus areas of 532 subjects were: 15.17 ± 1.77 cm2 in Group A, 15.52 ± 2.21 cm2 in Group B, 16.03 ± 2.16 cm2 in Group C, and 16.40 ± 2.10 cm2 in Group D. ANOVA showed significant statistical differences among four age groups (F = 7.519, p < 0.0001). Significant differences in minimal levator ani hiatus areas were found between Group A and Group C (p = 0.0491), Group A and Group D (p = 0.0007), and Group B and Group D (p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference in minimal levator ani hiatus areas measured on AxB and AxPRM images in 39 female volunteers (p = 0.1000). There were no statistical difference in minimal levator ani hiatus areas between nulliparous and multiparous group for each age group (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on a large sample, this study summarized the minimum levator ani hiatus area of female adults without pelvic floor dysfunction in different age groups. We found significant differences among different age groups. In addition, a positive correlation was found between age and the minimum levator ani hiatus area. These findings can provide reference criteria for diagnosing pelvic organ prolapse in female adults of different age groups.

Research progress in the application of catalytic infrared technology in fruit and vegetable processing.

Fruit and vegetable processing can effectively maintain the quality and safety of fruit and vegetable-based products while extending the shelf life of products and saving transportation costs. Infrared (IR) technology has been widely used in many operating units of fruit and vegetable processing because of its versatility of uniform heating, high heat transfer efficiency, and minimized damage to fruit and vegetable tissues. Catalytic IR (CIR), compared to traditional electric IR, is powered by natural gas or liquefied gas, which can improve thermal efficiency while significantly saving energy. However, there is no comprehensive overview discussing and summarizing the utilization and application of the CIR technology in fruit and vegetable processing. Therefore, this review aims to highlight recent advances in the application of CIR technology in fruit and vegetable processing. Specifically, a comprehensive discussion of the physicochemical properties and underlying mechanisms of CIR is provided, and its applications as a single method or in combination with other technologies in fruit and vegetable processes, such as blanching, peeling, microbial population reduction, and drying, are also presented. Besides, the currently used laboratory and pilot-scale equipment of CIR has also been summarized.

Production, bioactivities and bioavailability of bioactive peptides derived from walnut origin by-products: a review.

Walnut-origin by-products obtained from walnut oil extraction industry are high in proteins with various physiological functions and pharmacological properties and an extensive potential for usage in producing bioactive peptides. This review presents the current research status of bioactive peptides derived from walnut by-products, including preparation, separation, purification, identification, bioactivities, and bioavailability. A plethora of walnut peptides with multiple biological activities, including antioxidative, antihypertensive, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, anticancer, and antihyperuricemia activities, were obtained from walnut-origin by-products by enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and synthesis. Different bioactive peptides show various structural characteristics and amino acid composition due to their diverse mechanism of action. Furthermore, walnut protein and its hydrolysate present a high bioavailability in human gastrointestinal digestive system. Improving the bioavailability of walnut peptides is needful in the development of walnut industry. However, future research still needs to exploit energy conservation, high efficiency, environmentally friendly and low-cost production method of walnut bioactive peptide. The molecular mechanisms of different bioactive walnut peptides still need to be explored at the cell and gene levels. Additionally, the digestion, absorption, and metabolism processes of walnut peptides are also the focus of future research.

Research progress on extraction of active components from apple processing waste.

Apple waste (APW) is the residual product after apple processing, including apple peel, apple core, apple seed, and other components. A large quantity of APW produced is abandoned annually, leading to serious resource waste and environmental pollution. APW is rich in natural active compounds, such as pectin, polyphenols, fatty acids, and dietary fiber, which has a good use value. This paper reviewed the current research on recovering active components from APW. The traditional extraction methods (acid, alkali, physical, enzyme, etc.) and the novel extraction methods (SWE, UAE, MAE, RFAE, etc.) for the recovery of pectin, polyphenols, apple seed oil, apple seed protein, and dietary fiber from APW were systematically summarized. The basic principles, advantages, and disadvantages of different extraction methods were introduced. The requirements of different extraction methods on extraction conditions and the effects of different extraction methods on the yield, quality, and functional activity of extracted products were analyzed. The challenges and future study direction of APW extraction have prospected. This paper aims to provide a reference for other researchers interested in APW extraction, improve the utilization rate of APW and extend the value chain of the apple industry.

Medical occupation preference under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of risk and altruistic preferences.

We examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical occupation preference, focusing on Wuhan, China. We conducted a survey of 5686 respondents in China regarding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical occupation preference. We also conducted a complimentary survey in the UK with 1198 respondents, as well as a field experiment in Wuhan with 428 first and second-year medical students. We find a significant negative impact of the pandemic on the willingness to let a loved one choose a medical occupation. Individuals who were heavily influenced by the pandemic, that is, Wuhan residents, especially medical workers, express significantly lower medical occupation preference. Further analysis from Sobel-Goodman mediation tests reveals that around half of the total negative effect can be mediated by enhanced risk aversion and reduced altruism. The UK survey and the field experiment with medical students in Wuhan reinforce these findings. Our results suggest a shift in medical workers' risk- and altruistic-preferences has led to a reduced medical occupation preference. Non-medical workers and students who are more altruistic and risk-seeking are more likely to choose a medical occupation.

The expression of Runx2 in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) plays an important role in bone metabolism; however, the relationship between Runx2 and periodontitis remains unclear. We investigated Runx2 expression in the gingiva of patients to explore its role in periodontitis. METHODS: Gingival samples of patients were collected, including healthy samples (control group) and periodontitis samples (P group). Periodontitis samples were divided into three groups based on the periodontitis stage. Samples with stage I and grade B periodontitis were in the P1 group, stage II and grade B in the P2 group, and stage III or IV and grade B in the P3 group. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were performed to detect Runx2 levels. The probing (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were recorded. RESULTS: Runx2 expression levels in the P and P3 groups were higher than those in the control group. In addition, Runx2 expression was positively correlated with CAL and PD (r1 = 0.435, r2 = 0.396). CONCLUSION: The high expression level of Runx2 in the gingiva of patients with periodontitis may be correlated with the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

Methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews on health effects of air pollutants were higher than extreme temperatures: a comparative study.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of systematic reviews (SRs) in the environmental field have been published in recent years as a result of the global concern about the health impacts of air pollution and temperature. However, no study has assessed and compared the methodological and reporting quality of SRs on the health effects of air pollutants and extreme temperatures. This study aims to assess and compare the methodological and reporting quality of SRs on the health effects of ambient air pollutants and extreme temperatures. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Epistemonikos databases were searched. Two researchers screened the literature and extracted information independently. The methodological quality of the SRs was assessed through A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). The reporting quality was assessed through Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). RESULTS: We identified 405 SRs (286 for air pollution, 108 for temperature, and 11 for the synergistic effects). The methodological and reporting quality of the included SRs were suboptimal, with major deficiencies in protocol registration. The methodological quality of SRs of air pollutants was better than that of temperature, especially in terms of satisfactory explanations for any heterogeneity (69.6% v. 45.4%). The reporting quality of SRs of air pollution was better than temperature, however, adherence to the reporting of the assessment results of risk of bias in all SRs (53.5% v. 34.3%) was inadequate. CONCLUSIONS: Methodological and reporting quality of SRs on the health effect of air pollutants were higher than those of temperatures. However, deficiencies in protocol registration and the assessment of risk of bias remain an issue for both pollutants and temperatures. In addition, developing a risk-of-bias assessment tool applicable to the temperature field may improve the quality of SRs.

Ultrasonic washing as an abiotic elicitor to increase the phenolic content in fruits and vegetables: A review.

Ultrasonic washing has been widely applied to the postharvest storage of fruits and vegetables as a residue-free physical washing technology, which plays an important role in improving shelf-life, safety, and nutritional value. Phenolics are a large group of phytochemicals widespread in fruits and vegetables, and they have been considered potential protective factors against some diseases because of potent antioxidative properties. Previous studies have shown that ultrasonic washing can increase the phenolic content of fruits and vegetables immediately or during storage through the induction of plant stress responses, which is of great significance for improving the functional and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. However, the mechanisms of ultrasound as an elicitor to improve the phenolic content remain controversial. Therefore, this review summarizes the applications of ultrasonic washing to increase the phenolic content in fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, the corresponding physiological stress response mechanisms of the phenolic accumulation in terms of immediate stress responses (i.e., higher extractability of phenolics) and late stress responses (i.e., metabolism of phenolics) are expounded. Moreover, a hypothetical model is proposed to explain phenolic biosynthesis triggered by signaling molecules produced under ultrasound stress, including primary signal (i.e., extracellular adenosine triphosphate) and secondary signals (e.g., reactive oxygen species, Ca2+ , NO, jasmonates, and ethylene). Additionally, the techno-economic feasibility of ultrasonic washing technology is also discussed. Further, challenges and trends for further development of ultrasonic washing as an abiotic elicitor applied to the postharvest storage of fruits and vegetables are presented.

The mechanism on Prevotella melaninogenica promoting the inflammatory progression of oral lichen planus.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common chronic inflammatory disease occurring in the oral mucosa. Bacteria are a key driver of mucosal immune responses and can induce changes in gene expression and function of epithelial keratinocytes. IL-36γ can induce the expression of antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, and chemokines, and is widely involved in many chronic inflammatory diseases. Our aim is to explore the role of IL-36γ in the pathological process of OLP when Prevotella melaninogenica (P. melaninogenica) invades the oral mucosa. The expression of IL-36γ in OLP lesions and mice was detected by immunohistochemistry. Recombinant human IL-36Gamma (rhIL-36γ) was used to treat oral keratinocytes and the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were detected by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The expression of IL-36γ and TRPV1 was detected by western blotting following co-culturing P. melaninogenica with oral keratinocytes. The mRNA expression of IL-36γ was detected by qRT-PCR. From our results, IL-36γ was upregulated in OLP lesions. Exogenous rhIL-36γ promoted the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and antibacterial peptides in oral keratinocytes. The expression of IL-36γ was significantly increased following the stimulation of P. melaninogenica in oral keratinocytes and mice. TRPV1 activation was induced by P. melaninogenica and its activation enhanced the expression of IL-36γ. IL-36Ra could reduce the inflammation in OLP in vitro. In summary, overexpression of IL-36γ in OLP lesions could promote its pathogenesis by inducing inflammation. P. melaninogenica invasion of oral keratinocytes could induce the expression of IL-36γ by the activation of TRPV1, thereby regulating the interaction between bacteria and oral epithelial cells.

The presence of Prevotella melaninogenica within tissue and preliminary study on its role in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus.

OBJECTIVE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs in the oral mucosa with characteristic white striations lesions, recurrent erosions, and pains. The etiology and pathogenesis of OLP are still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the bacterial community structure of buccal mucosa in patients with OLP and normal controls by high-throughput sequencing. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect Prevotella melaninogenica (P. melaninogenica) in 13 OLP samples and 10 controls. The amounts of P. melaninogenica in OLP buccal mucosa and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in co-culture of mouse-derived macrophages with P. melaninogenica were detected by RT-qPCR. RESULTS: The P. melaninogenica was more abundant in OLP than in healthy controls, and the differences were significant at the level of the phylum, family, genus, and species (p < .05). FISH showed that P. melaninogenica can invade the epithelium and even the lamina propria of OLP, while no invasion was found in the normal mucosa. Prevotella melaninogenica can adhere to and invade macrophages and then activate the transcription of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Prevotella melaninogenica may be involved in the pathogenic process of OLP, and its specific mechanism deserves further study.

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Immune and Inflammatory Markers in Athletes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background and Objectives: Probiotic supplementation can prevent and alleviate gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in healthy individuals. Markers released from the site of inflammation are involved in the response to infection or tissue injury. Therefore, we measured the pre-exercise and postexercise levels of inflammation-related markers-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ, salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA), IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, and C-reactive protein (CRP)-in probiotic versus placebo groups to investigate the effects of probiotics on these markers in athletes. Probiotics contained multiple species (e.g., Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, etc.). Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic search for studies published until May 2022 and included nine randomized clinical trials. Reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline. Fixed-effects meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed. Subgroup analyses were conducted on the basis of the period of probiotic intervention and timing of postassessment blood sampling. Results: The levels of IFN-γ and salivary IgA exhibited a significant positive change, whereas those of TNF-α and IL-10 demonstrated a negative change in the probiotic group. The subgroup analysis revealed that the probiotic group exhibited significant negative changes in TNF-α and IL-10 levels in the shorter intervention period. For the subgroup based on the timing of postassessment blood sampling, the subgroup whose blood sample collection was delayed to at least the next day of exercise exhibited significant negative changes in their TNF-α and IL-10 levels. The subgroups whose blood samples were collected immediately after exercise demonstrated negative changes in their TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-10 levels. Conclusions: Probiotic supplementation resulted in significant positive changes in the IFN-γ and salivary IgA levels and negative changes in the IL-10 and TNF-α levels. No significant changes in the IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, or CRP levels were observed after probiotic use in athletes.

Leptin regulates OPG and RANKL expression in Gingival Fibroblasts and Tissues of Chronic Periodontitis Patients.

Objective: Chronic periodontitis is a bone-destructive disease affecting periodontal support structures. Although leptin has a protective effect against periodontitis, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the possible role of leptin by examining its relationship with OPG and RANKL in human gingival tissues obtained from patients with chronic periodontitis. Method: Twenty-two patients with chronic periodontitis were enrolled (10 with moderate periodontitis and 12 with severe periodontitis) in the experimental group, and 12 healthy individuals were enrolled in the control group. Gingival tissue samples were collected, and the protein levels and localization of leptin, OPG, and RANKL were studied using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The staining intensities of leptin, OPG, and RANKL were correlated with the periodontal clinical index. Moreover, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine OPG and RANKL mRNA levels in gingival fibroblasts stimulated with gradient concentrations of leptin protein in vitro. Result: Leptin, OPG, and RANKL were located in the cytoplasm of gingival epithelial cells and the connective tissue. Leptin was widely and significantly expressed in the control group, whereas it was lightly stained in the severe group. RANKL was lightly stained in the control group, whereas it was widely and significantly expressed in the severe group. The control and the moderate groups had similar OPG levels, which were significantly higher than that in the severe group. Leptin was positively correlated with OPG(r = 0.905, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with RANKL (r = -0.635, p < 0.01). In vitro low concentrations of leptin led to an increased OPG/RANKL mRNA ratio, whereas the opposite effect was observed at high concentrations. Conclusion: Leptin can regulate OPG and RANKL expression in gingival fibroblasts and may thus play a role in the development of chronic periodontitis by modulating the OPG/RANKL ratio.

Expression and methylation of Dickkopf-1 in the pathogenesis and malignant transformation of oral submucous fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Dickkopf-1 is an inhibitor of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, but the role of Dickkopf-1 in oral submucous fibrosis remains unclear. We evaluated the protein expression and gene methylation levels of dickkopf-1 to determine the mechanism underlying abnormal Wnt/ß-catenin pathway activation. METHODS: Healthy mucosa, oral submucous fibrosis, oral squamous cell carcinoma, and cancer-adjacent tissues were collected. The expression and promoter methylation levels of dickkopf-1 were analyzed. RESULTS: The expression levels of dickkopf-1 in oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues were lower than those in healthy and cancer-adjacent tissues. The methylation levels of the dickkopf-1 gene in oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues were higher than those in healthy and cancer-adjacent tissues. Dickkopf-1 expression was negatively correlated with dickkopf-1 gene methylation. CONCLUSIONS: High dickkopf-1 methylation levels in oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues may decrease dickkopf-1 expression, which may induce an abnormal activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and oral submucous fibrosis pathogenesis.

Excited-state photophysical processes in a molecular system containing perylene bisimide and zinc porphyrin chromophores.

Multichromophoric systems with efficient photoinduced excited-state processes are important for the conversion of solar energy in artificial photosynthesis. However, a low molecular absorption coefficient of these multichromophoric systems in the near-infrared region limits their power conversion efficiency in organic solar cells. It is critical to design molecules with a broad absorption range in the whole spectral region, to better harvest solar energy, and to reveal their important multiple-step photophysical processes for the design of organic solar cells. Here, we investigate a novel compound having three chromophores, namely two near-by N,N'-bis(1-pentyl)hexyl-3,4,9,10-perylenebiscarboximide (PDI) units linked to a zinc porphyrin core side by side (in the form of PDI-ZnPor-PDI), which absorbs solar energy ranging from the ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared regions. The photophysical behavior of PDI-ZnPor-PDI in both film and solution forms, has been investigated using steady-state and transient spectroscopy measurements. Charge-transfer species and triplet excited-state species are observed, the excited-state evolutions of which are monitored using molecular vibrations as probes. These observations support the idea that PDI-ZnPor-PDI on photoexcitation generates the radical anion and triplet species of the PDI unit (PDI˙- and 3PDI*). Our results demonstrate the effect of solid film state on the photophysical properties in such multichromophoric system, and are valuable for guiding the design and utilization of novel near-infrared electron donors or acceptors for use in organic solar cells.

Benzodithiophene-Fused Perylene Bisimides as Electron Acceptors for Non-Fullerene Organic Solar Cells with High Open-Circuit Voltage.

Tandem-junction organic solar cells require solar cells with visible light photo-response as front cells, in which an open-circuit voltage (Voc ) above 1.0 V is highly demanded. In this work, we are able to develop electron acceptors to fabricate non-fullerene organic solar cells (NFOSCs) with a very high Voc of 1.14 V. This was realized by designing perylene bisimide (PBI)-based conjugated materials fused with benzodithiophene, in which Cl and S atom were introduced into the molecules in order to lower the frontier energy levels. The fused structures can reduce the aggregation of PBI unit and meanwhile maintain a good charge transport property. The new electron acceptors were applied into NFOSCs by using Cl and S substituted conjugated polymers as electron donor, in which an initial power conversion efficiency of 6.63 % and a high Voc of 1.14 V could be obtained. The results demonstrate that the molecular design by incorporating Cl and S atom into electron acceptors has great potential to realize high performance NFOSCs.

A Wide-Bandgap Conjugated Polymer Based on Quinoxalino[6,5-f ]quinoxaline for Fullerene and Non-Fullerene Polymer Solar Cells.

A wide-bandgap conjugated polymer, PNQx-2F2T, based on a ring-fused unit of quinoxalino[6,5-f ]quinoxaline (NQx), is synthesized for use as electron donor in polymer solar cells (PSCs). The polymer shows intense light absorption in the range from 300 to 740 nm and favorable energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals. The polymer has afforded decent device performance when blended with either fullerene-based acceptor [6,6]-phenyl-C71 -butylric acid methyl ester ([70]PCBM) or non-fullerene acceptor 3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone-methyl))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-n-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d: 2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene (IT-M). The highest PCEs of 7.9% and 7.5% have been achieved for [70]PCBM or IT-M based PSCs, respectively. Moreover, the influence of molecular weight of PNQx-2F2T on solar cell performance has been investigated. It is found that fullerene-based devices prefer higher polymer molecular weight, while non-fullerene devices are not susceptible to the molecular weight of PNQx-2F2T. The device results are extensively explained by electrical and morphological characterizations. This work not only evidences the potential of NQx for constructing high-performance photovoltaic polymers but also demonstrates a useful structure-performance relationship for efficiency enhancement of non-fullerene PSCs via the development of new conjugated polymers.

Comparative pharmacokinetics and metabolites study of seven major bioactive components of Shaoyao-Gancao decoction in normal and polycystic ovary syndrome rats by ultra high pressure liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for simultaneous quantification of paeoniflorin, albiflorin, oxypaeoniflorin, liquiritin, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhetinic acid, and glycyrrhizin in rat plasma after oral administration of Shaoyao-Gancao decoction, which is traditionally used in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. The plasma samples were pretreated with methanol as precipitant. The method exhibited good linearity (correlation coefficient (R2 ) > 0.99) with lower quantification limits of 0.595-4.69 ng/mL for all analytes. Intra- and interbatch precision, accuracy, recovery, and stability of the method were all within accepted criteria. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the seven compounds were altered in the pathological status of polycystic ovary syndrome. Furthermore, a total of 36 metabolites were structurally identified based on their accurate masses and fragment ions. The major metabolic pathway involves phase I metabolic reactions (such as hydroxylation), phase II metabolic reactions (such as sulfation and glucuronidation conjugation) as well as the combined multiple-step metabolism. This study is the first report on the pharmacokinetic and metabolic information of Shaoyao-Gancao decoction in both normal and model rats, which would provide scientific evidences for the bioactive chemical basis of herbal medicines and also promote the clinical application of Shaoyao-Gancao decoction for treating polycystic ovary syndrome.

A Novel Infrared Temperature Measurement with Dual Mode Modulation of Thermopile Sensor.

Superior to the traditional infrared temperature sensing architecture including infrared sensor and thermistor, we propose a novel sensing approach based on a single thermopile sensor with dual modes modulation. A switching and sensing circuit is proposed and realized with a chopper amplifier AD8551 and p-channel MOSFET (PMOS) for switching between detection of thermal radiation and the target and the ambient temperature for compensation. The error of target temperature after temperature compensation is estimated at less than 0.14 °C.

Feasibility study on direct fermentation of soybean meal by Bacillus stearothermophilus under non-sterile conditions.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the feasibility of high-temperature solid-state fermentation (SSF) using soybean meal (SBM) during the non-sterile process, Bacillus stearothermophilus was employed to assess the nutritional quality and bioactivity of SBM after fermentation. RESULTS: The fermented SBM (FSBM) without autoclaving showed significant improvements in nutritional quality and bioactivity. The contents of peptides and crude and soluble proteins increased by 131.21%, 5.3% and 15.52%, respectively. Meanwhile, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging ability, reducing ability and hydroxyl free radical-scavenging activity rose by 57.07%, 238.92% and 368.26%, respectively. The inhibitory activity of angiotensin I-converting enzyme increased from 1.43 ± 0.83% to 26.89 ± 1.03%, while the trypsin inhibitor activity decreased by 74.05%. The contents of neutral and alkaline proteases and the growth of microorganisms in FSBM without autoclaving were higher and better than in steam-treated FSBM. After steam treatment, the water-holding capacity of SBM decreased, and a high crosslink density was observed on the surface of SBM particles. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to ferment SBM by high-temperature SSF using B. stearothermophilus under non-sterile conditions. Adverse effects of SSF using sterile SBM might be owing to the low water-holding capacity caused by autoclaving. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.