Apple preload increased postprandial insulin sensitivity of a high glycemic rice meal only at breakfast.

PURPOSE: The possible impact of preload food on insulin sensitivity has yet been reported. This study aimed to investigate the glycemic and insulinemic effect of an apple preload before breakfast, lunch and early supper, based on high glycemic index (GI) rice meals. METHODS: Twenty-three healthy participants in Group 1 and 14 participants in Group 2 were served with the reference meal (white rice containing 50 g of available carbohydrate) or experimental meals (apple preload and rice, each containing 15 and 35 g of available carbohydrate). The meals were either served at 8:00 for breakfast, 12:30 for lunch or 17:00 for early supper to explore the possible effect of time factor. The group 1 assessed the postprandial and subsequent-meal glycemic effect of the test meals by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), along with subjective appetite; The group 2 further investigated the glycemic and insulin effect by blood collection. RESULTS: The apple preload lowered the blood glucose peak value by 33.5%, 31.4% and 31.0% in breakfast, lunch and supper, respectively, while increased insulin sensitivity by 40.5% only at breakfast, compared with the rice reference. The early supper resulted significantly milder glycemic response than its breakfast and lunch counterparts did. The result of CGM tests was consistent with that of the fingertip blood tests. CONCLUSION: Apple preload performed the best at breakfast in terms of enhancing the insulin sensitivity. The preload treatment could effectively attenuate postprandial GR without increasing the area under insulin response curve in any of the three meals.

Diurnal differences in glycemic responses, insulin responses and cognition after rice-based meals.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The variation in glycemic responses to white rice caused by the circadian rhythm has been widely investigated but remain controversial. This study investigated diurnal differences in the effect of rice meals on glycemic responses, insulin responses, satiety, and acute cognitive function. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A total of 20 healthy participants in Group 1 and 14 in Group 2 were served identical servings of cooked white rice containing 50 g of available carbohydrates at 8:00 a.m. (rice at breakfast), 12:30 p.m. (rice at lunch), and 5:00 p.m. (rice at early supper) in a randomized order. Postprandial blood glucose, insulin, satiety, and cognitive performance tests were conducted for each test meal. RESULTS: The rice at an early supper elicited significantly milder glycemic responses than did the rice at lunch and resulted in a lower insulin sensitivity than did rice at breakfast. No difference was observed among the test meals in terms of hunger and prospective food intake. Diurnal acute cognitive performance did not differ considerably among the meals. A correlation analysis indicated that low variability in glycemic responses was positively associated with superior cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS: A high-glycemic index white rice supper at 5:00 p.m. may facilitate daily glycemic management.

Yam paste in glycemic preloads curbs peak glycemia of rice meals in apparent healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: People with dental problems and dysphagia frequently consume foods in paste form. A strategy is required to mitigate the glycemic responses of these foods. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: The effect of yam paste ingestion on postprandial glycemic responses was assessed using a two-arm study design for yam paste ingestion: (1) as low- and medium-glycemic index food and (2) as preload and coingested food in a rice meal. In a randomized crossover trial, 18 healthy volunteers consumed (1) low-intensity-cooked yam paste; (2) medium-intensity-cooked yam paste; (3) cooked white rice; (4) coingested low-intensity-cooked yam paste with rice; (5) coingested medium-intensity-cooked yam paste with rice; (6) a preload of low-intensity-cooked yam paste before rice; (7) a preload of medium-intensity-cooked yam paste before rice. Postprandial glycemic responses and satiety assessments were conducted for each food approach. The glycemic characteristics of yam paste were manipulated with the preparatory treatment. RESULTS: Ingesting a preload of 10 g of yam paste before a rice meal resulted in better glycemic responses for 0-60 min in terms of peak glucose value and positive increments under the curve than co-ingesting yam paste with rice, with no adverse effect on satiety, irrespective of the glycemic index of the yam paste. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding isocarbohydrates, both low- and medium-glycemic index yam paste preloads curbed the glucose peak value of a rice meal and lowered the glycemic index value of mixed meals in young healthy people.

Investigating microRNA-mediated regulation of the nascent nuclear transcripts in plants: a bioinformatics workflow.

Most of the microRNAs (miRNAs) play their regulatory roles through posttranscriptional target decay or translational inhibition. For both plants and animals, these regulatory events were previously considered to take place in cytoplasm, as mature miRNAs were observed to be exported to the cytoplasm for Argonaute (AGO) loading and subsequent target binding. Recently, this notion was challenged by increasing pieces of evidence in the animal cells that uncovered the nuclear importation and action of the AGO-associated miRNAs. The nuclear-localized regulatory mode was also reported for the plant miRNAs. However, evidence is still lacking to show the universality and conservation of the miRNA-mediated regulation in the plant nuclei. Here, we introduced a bioinformatics workflow for genome-wide investigation of miRNA-guided, cleavage-based regulation of the nascent nuclear transcripts. Facilitated by the tool package PmiRNTSA (Plant microRNA-mediated nascent transcript slicing analyzer), plant biologists could perform a comprehensive search for the miRNA slicing sites located within the introns or the exon-intron/intron-exon junctions of the target transcripts, which are supported by degradome sequencing data. The results enable the researchers to examine the co-transcriptional regulatory model of the miRNAs for a specific plant species. Moreover, a case study was performed to search for the slicing sites located within the exon-intron/intron-exon junctions in two model plants. A case study was performed to show the feasibility and reliability of our workflow. Together, we hope that this work could inspire much more innovative research efforts to expand the current understanding of the miRNA action modes in plants.

A comparison between whole grain and pearled oats: acute postprandial glycaemic responses and in vitro carbohydrate digestion in healthy subjects.

PURPOSE: To compare the glycaemic response of whole grain oat kernels and pearled oats cooked under normal pressure or higher pressure and examine whether replacing half of the rice in a given meal with either of the two oat grains could make a difference in acute glycaemic responses. METHODS: In a randomised crossover trial, ten healthy subjects consumed two groups of test meals: (1) oat grain-only, including whole grain oats cooked under normal pressure (WONP) and higher pressure (WOHP) as well as their pearled oat counterparts, PONP and POHP; and (2) mixed meals of aforementioned oat grains and cooked rice (OG + R), including WONP + R, WOHP + R, PONP + R and POHP + R. A postprandial blood glucose test, texture profile analysis and in vitro carbohydrate digestion assay were carried out for each test meal. RESULTS: Compared with the rice reference, oat grain-only meals induced lower glucose levels at all time points, lower peak values and smaller glucose excursions at 120 min (P < 0.05), but OG + Rs did not have the abovementioned effects. The oat grain-only meals had glycaemic indexes (GIs) ranging from 51 to 58, while those of OG + Rs ranged from 59 to 70. WONP + R had a 21% lower iAUC0-60 and a 40% lower iAUC60-120 value than those of rice (P < 0.05). Oat-rice mixed meals had lower iAUC0-60 values compared with that of the rice control (P < 0.05), except for POHP + R. Excellent consistency between the hydrolysis index and the GI was observed (r = 0.969, P < 0.001) in oat grain-only meals. CONCLUSIONS: All oat grain-only meals could be included in the glycaemic management diet, regardless of the oat grain type or cooking treatment. In oat-rice mixed meals, whole grain oats and normal pressure cooking ensured a favourable glycaemic effect.

Biochemical characterization of a novel α-L-fucosidase from Pedobacter sp. and its application in synthesis of 3'-fucosyllactose and 2'-fucosyllactose.

Fucosyllactoses have gained much attention owing to their multiple functions, including prebiotic, immune, gut, and cognition benefits. In this study, human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) 2'-fucosyllactose (α-L-Fuc-(1,2)-D-Galß-1,4-Glu, 2'FL) and its isomer 3'-fucosyllactose (α-L-Fuc-(1,3)-D-Galß-1,4-Glu, 3'FL) with potential prebiotic effect were synthesized efficiently by a novel recombinant α-L-fucosidase. An α-L-fucosidase gene (PbFuc) from Pedobacter sp. CAU209 was successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The deduced amino acid sequence shared the highest identity of 36.8% with the amino sequences of other reported α-L-fucosidases. The purified α-L-fucosidase (PbFuc) had a molecular mass of 50 kDa. The enzyme exhibited specific activity (26.3 U/mg) towards 4-nitrophenyl-α-L-fucopyranoside (pNP-FUC), 3'FL (8.9 U/mg), and 2'FL (3.4 U/mg). It showed the highest activity at pH 5.0 and 35 °C, respectively. PbFuc catalyzed the synthesis of 3'FL and 2'FL through a transglycosylation reaction using pNP-FUC as donor and lactose as acceptor, and total conversion ratio was up to 85% at the optimized reaction conditions. The synthesized mixture of 2'FL and 3'FL promoted the growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NRRL B-548, L. casei subsp. casei NRRL B-1922, L. casei subsp. casei AS 1.2435, and Bifidobacterium longum NRRL B-41409. However, the growths of E. coli ATCC 11775, S. enterica AS 1.1552, L. monocytogenes CICC 21635, and S. aureus AS 1.1861 were not stimulated by the mixture of 2'FL and 3'FL. Overall, our findings suggest that PbFuc possesses a great potential for the specific synthesis of fucosylated compounds.Key Points• A novel α-L-fucosidase (PbFuc) from Pedobacter sp. was cloned and expressed.• PbFuc showed the highest hydrolysis activity at pH 5.0 and 35 °C, respectively.• It was used for synthesis of 3'-fucosyllactose (3'FL) and 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL).• The mixture of 3'FL and 2'FL promoted the growth of some Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacteria sp.

Suppression of long non-coding RNA LET potentiates bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) proliferation by up-regulating TGF-ß1.

Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) show an encouraging trend in regulating the proliferation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs). The present study investigated the role of lncRNA low expression in tumor (LET) in BMSCs proliferation. Our result showed that LET was down-regulated in rapidly proliferated BMSCs (P < 0.05). Suppression of LET promoted BMSCs proliferation and over-expression of LET inhibited BMSCs proliferation (P < 0.05). LET negatively regulated the expression of transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) in BMSCs (P < 0.05). Knockdown of TGF-ß1 reversed the LET suppression-induced BMSCs proliferation (P < 0.05). Moreover, knockdown of TGF-ß1 alleviated the LET suppression-induced activation of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in BMSCs. Therefore, we drew the conclusion that LET suppression promoted BMSCs proliferation by up-regulating the expression of TGF-ß1 and activating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Acute effects of non-homogenised and homogenised vegetables added to rice-based meals on postprandial glycaemic responses and in vitro carbohydrate digestion.

The addition of vegetable to carbohydrate-based meals was shown to contribute to glycaemic management. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of homogenisation on vegetables added to rice meals in terms of acute glycaemic responses (GR). In a randomised crossover trial, sixteen healthy volunteers completed thirteen test sessions, which included two sessions for glucose control, two for rice and nine for different vegetable-rice mixed meals: cooked pak choi and cooked rice (CP+R); cooked cauliflower and cooked rice (CC+R); cooked eggplant and cooked rice (CE+R); and their homogenised counterparts, both raw or cooked. Postprandial GR tests, in vitro carbohydrate digestion and chemical analyses were carried out for each test meal. Compared with pure rice, CE+R, CP+R and CC+R meals achieved significantly lower glycaemic indexes (GI) of 67, 71 and 73, whereas their homogenised counterparts failed to show significant difference with rice. The hydrolysis indexes (HI) of CE+R, CP+R and CC+R were 69·6, 83·8 and 80·6 % of the HI of the rice control. CE had the greatest effect on lowering the GI, the incremental area under the blood glucose curve from 0 to 120 min, the peak glucose value, the maximum amplitude of glucose excursion in 0-120 min (MAGE0 -120), the HI and rapid available starch. Both in vitro and in vivo tests demonstrated that incorporating non-homogenised cooked vegetables into a rice meal could slow the carbohydrate digestion and improve postprandial GR. Texture properties of vegetable may play an important role in underlying glycaemic control mechanisms.

An LC Passive Wireless Gas Sensor Based on PANI/CNT Composite.

This paper proposes a wireless passive gas sensor based on the principle of LC mutual coupling. After the acidification of the carbon nanotube (CNT), the in-situ polymerization of the aminobenzene monomers was conducted on the surface of the acidified CNT to form a sensitive material composed of a polyaniline/carbon nanotube (PANI/CNT) composite. The Advanced Design System (ADS) software was used for simulating and analyzing the designed structure, which obtained the various parameters of the structure. A lead-free aluminum paste was printed on an alumina ceramic substrate via the screen printing technique to form an inductor coil, before the gas sensitive material was applied to prepare a wireless passive gas sensor, consisting of a single-turn inductor and interdigitated electrodes on the base structure. Finally, an experimental platform was built to test the performance of the sensor. The sensitivity of the gas sensor is about 0.04 MHz/ppm in an atmosphere with a NH3 concentration of 300 ppm. The sensor was shown to have good repeatability and high stability over a long time period.

Bone marrow stromal cell-derived extracellular matrix promotes osteogenesis of adipose-derived stem cells.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can differentiate into multiple cell lineages and favor adipogenesis rather than osteogenesis. Because the extracellular matrix (ECM) component of the stem cell niche is important in stem cell differentiation, we hypothesized that ECM produced by human bone marrow stromal cells (BM-ECM) could enhance the osteogenic potential of ASCs during in vitro expansion. We have compared the replication and osteogenic differentiation of ASCs expanded on BM-ECM versus tissue culture plastic (TCP) in vitro and in vivo. During the first two passages, ASC proliferation on BM-ECM was 3.27-fold greater than that on TCP. ASCs expanded on BM-ECM formed more osteogenic colonies and higher expression of osteogenic markers than ASCs expanded on TCP. In nude mice, ASCs that had been expanded on BM-ECM formed more new bone tissue than those expanded on TCP. The data indicate that BM-ECM can be used to promote the osteogenic fate of ASCs.

Is the Resorption of Grafted Fat Reduced in Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer for Breast Augmentation?

Cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL) is a cotransplantation of adipose tissue and stromal vascular fraction (SVF) including adipose-derived stem cells. But although CAL can get satisfactory outcomes in breast augmentation, the resorption of the grafted fat is still unclear. A total of 12 patients received breast augmentation using CAL. All of them completed 6 months of follow-up. In 1 mini-CAL case, 500-mL liposuction fluid was used to harvest the SVF cells. In 11 full-CAL cases, 250-mL aspirated fat was needed apart from 500-mL liposuction fluid. The percentage of adipose-derived stem cells in SVF cells was detected using flow cytometry and their multilineage potential ability was assessed with in vitro induction. The volumes of breasts and pectoral muscle were measured, and radiological image change was analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging before the operation and 3 and 6 months after the operation. Additionally, the subjective evaluation on the cosmetic outcomes was determined by surgeons and patients. Adipose-derived stem cells in SVF cells accounted for 40.27% and 3.34% in full-CAL cases and mini-CAL cases, respectively. Postoperative atrophy occurred within the first 3 months. At the 6 months postoperatively, breast volume is augmented, ranging from 60.71 to 197 mL, with a mean value of 125.35 (45.49) mL. The ultimate resorption of grafted fat at the 6 months postoperatively is 51.84% (16.74%). Newly formed cysts and nodules were detected in 2 cases. No calcification was found in all magnetic resonance images. Only 1 patient was unsatisfied with the cosmetic outcome. Our preliminary study displayed a satisfactory augmented volume with little complications using CAL for breast augmentation. But the resorption at the 6 months postoperatively [51.84% (16.74%)] showed no significant advantage over non-CAL technique (40%-60% reported), which suggested that SVF cells harvested from 250-mL aspirated fat and 500-mL liposuction fluid were insufficient to average 250-mL grafted fat for each breast in this study. More SVF cells are needed to achieve lower resorption.

Coimplanted endothelial cells improve adipose tissue grafts' survival by increasing vascularization.

BACKGROUND: With goal of improving fat graft survival, many studies have focused on supplementing cells in the graft fat. In these studies, enhanced vascularization is considered the most important mechanism for the improved graft survival. Endothelial cells (ECs) are essential in vessel formation of the vascularization. Therefore, in this study, we coimplanted ECs with adipose tissue to investigate whether the ECs can enhance graft survival in a cell concentration-dependent manner. METHODS: Endothelial cells were isolated from stromal vascular fraction derived from human liposuction aspirates, and the EC characteristics were confirmed by CD31 immunofluorescence staining, measuring acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake, and observing the formation of capillary-like tubular structures in Matrigel. During the animal experiment, the isolated ECs were labeled, then added to 0.5-mL fat grafts at different numbers (0.5 × 10(6), 1 × 10(6), 2 × 10(6), and 4 × 10(6) cells) before subcutaneous implantation in nude mice. Grafts were harvested at 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months after -transplantation, and graft survival and vascularization were evaluated based on weight measurements, histological assessment, and vascular gene expression. RESULTS: Stromal vascular fraction-derived vascular cells exhibited typical EC characteristics. The observed differences in explanted graft weight, vessel density, vascular gene expression, and cell tracking result indicated that coimplantation with ECs accelerated vascularization that increased graft survival in a concentration-dependent manner. Over the experimental period, fat grafts implanted with 4 × 10(6) ECs showed no weight loss and the greatest increases in measures of vascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial cells can effectively enhance vascularization in fat grafts, and higher EC concentrations (eg, 4 × 10(6) ECs/0.5 mL adipose tissue) may best support graft survival.

Anatomical study of anterior supramalleolar artery and its potential application to design a bi-foliate fasciocutaneous flap.

PURPOSE: A further understanding of the anterior supramalleolar artery (ASMA) and its potential applications in reconstructive surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 fresh lower limbs from fresh cadavers were injected with red latex for dissection. The type of origin, course, diameter of the pedicle, and the distance between the origin of the ASMA from the anterior tibial artery to the extensor retinaculum (O-R) were recorded. Bi-foliate fasciocutaneous flaps were harvested using the branches of the ASMA. RESULTS: We found four types of origin of the ASMA, and we have accordingly classified them into four types. 10 of them were type A, 7 were type B, 6 were type C and 1 was type D. The mean O-R (origin of ASMA to retinaculum) distance was 2.0 ± 0.8 cm. The diameter of the medial branch (D1), the diameter of the lateral branch (D2), and the diameter of artery stem (D3) (only in type A) were 1.0 ± 0.2 mm, 0.8 ± 0.3 mm, 1.1 ± 0.2 mm, respectively. The mean pedicle length of the lateral flap (L1) and medial flap (L2) were 5.1 ± 1.0 cm and 3.7 ± 0.6 cm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ASMA exists constantly with four different types of origin. Its sizable diameter and lengthy pedicle make it suitable for bi-foliate fasciocutaneous flap transfer.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) siRNA inhibits human hypertrophic scar by suppressing integrin α, TGF-ß and α-SMA.

The effect of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) on suppressing scarring and the potential molecular mechanism underlying it has been investigated. Ten samples of human hypertrophic scars (HS) tissue cultured in vitro were transfected with FAK siRNA mediated by liposome. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of integrin α, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), FAK and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) after transfection. MTT assay was used as a measure of fibroblast proliferation. Flow cytometry and (3)H-proincorporation technique gave measurements of the cell cycle and the quantity of collagen synthesis, respectively. Expression of FAK was effectively blocked, accompanied by decreasing expression of integrin α, TGF-ß and α-SMA in hypertrophic scars fibroblast (HSFB) cells. One to 4 h after transfection with FAK siRNA, proliferation of HSFB cells was strongly inhibited (P < 0.01), reaching a maximum at 48 h. The proportion of G1 cells was higher and the proportion of the S and G2 cells lower after transfection. The amount of collagen synthesis in HSFB cells decreased when HSFB cells were transfected for 48 h. RNA interference targeting the FAK gene can block the two abnormal signal transduction pathways mediated by the integrin and TGF-ß receptors that are responsible for hyperplasia and contracture of the scar, making FAK iRNA therapy a potentially effective approach in HS treatment.

Timing and Nutrient Type of Isocaloric Snacks Impacted Postprandial Glycemic and Insulinemic Responses of the Subsequent Meal in Healthy Subjects.

The aim of the study was to explore the impact of both the macronutrient composition and snacking timing on the postprandial glycemic insulinemic responses and food intake. Seventeen healthy female volunteers completed the randomized crossover trials. The volunteers were provided a standard breakfast and lunch at 8:00 and 13:00, respectively, and an ad libitum dinner at 18:00. Provided at either 10:30 (midmorning) or 12:30 (preload), the glycemic effects of the three types of 70 kcal snacks, including chicken breast (mid-C and pre-C), apple (mid-A and pre-A), and macadamia nut (mid-M and pre-M), were compared with the non-snack control (CON), evaluated by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The mid-M showed increased insulin resistance after lunch compared with CON, while the pre-M did not. The pre-A stabilized the glycemic response in terms of all variability parameters after lunch, while the mid-A had no significant effect on postprandial glucose control. Both the mid-C and pre-C improved the total area under the glucose curve, all glycemic variability parameters, and the insulin resistance within 2 h after lunch compared with CON. The pre-C attained the lowest energy intake at dinner, while the mid-A and the mid-M resulted in the highest. In conclusion, the chicken breast snack effectively stabilized postprandial glycemic excursion and reduced insulin resistance while the macadamia snack did not, regardless of ingestion time. Only as a preload could the apple snack mitigate the glucose response after the subsequent meal.

Angelicin improves osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats by reducing ROS production in osteoclasts through regulation of the KAT6A/Nrf2 signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Angelicin, which is found in Psoralea, can help prevent osteoporosis by stopping osteoclast formation, although the precise mechanism remains unclear. METHODS: We evaluated the effect of angelicin on the oxidative stress level of osteoclasts using ovariectomized osteoporosis model rats and RAW264.7 cells. Changes in the bone mass of the femur were investigated using H&E staining and micro-CT. ROS content was investigated by DHE fluorescence labelling. Osteoclast-related genes and proteins were examined for expression using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, and real-time quantitative PCR. The influence of angelicin on osteoclast development was also evaluated using the MTT assay, double luciferin assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation and KAT6A siRNA transfection. RESULTS: Rats treated with angelicin had considerably higher bone mineral density and fewer osteoclasts. Angelicin prevented RAW264.7 cells from differentiating into osteoclasts in vitro when stimulated by RANKL. Experiments revealed reduced ROS levels and significantly upregulated intracellular KAT6A, HO-1, and Nrf2 following angelicin treatment. The expression of genes unique to osteoclasts, such as MMP9 and NFATc1, was also downregulated. Finally, KAT6A siRNA transfection increased intracellular ROS levels while decreasing KAT6A, Nrf2, and HO-1 protein expression in osteoclasts. However, in the absence of KAT6A siRNA transfection, angelicin greatly counteracted this effect in osteoclasts. CONCLUSIONS: Angelicin increased the expression of KAT6A. This enhanced KAT6A expression helps to activate the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant stress system and decrease ROS levels in osteoclasts, thus inhibiting oxidative stress levels and osteoclast formation.

Effects of platelet-rich plasma and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 on suture distraction osteogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Growth factors contained in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have been reported to induce osteoblast differentiation in certain studies, while in others, osteogenesis has not been shown clinically. The aim of the present study was to verify the effect of PRP and its combination with rhBMP-2 as a controlled delivery system during sagittal suture distraction osteogenesis. METHODS: Thirty-six-week male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to sagittal suture distraction osteogenesis groups treated with (1) PRP gel alone; and (2) PRP gel mixed with 10 µg rhBMP-2 (PRP/rhBMP-2), and a control group untreated. A heavy 200-g continuous mechanical force was applied for 33 days using a nickel titanium open spring to distract the suture between 2 miniscrew implants. The suture morphology was evaluated radiographically and histologically after sacrifice. RESULTS: The amount of suture separation in the control group and the PRP gel group were statistically greater (P < 0.05) than in the PRP/rhBMP-2 gel group. Compared to the control group, the micro-CT and histologic analysis showed that the local application of PRP gel not only stimulates the new bone formation between the suture gap but accelerates the suture wound healing during distraction without suture fusion. There was a percent of total suture height 15.3 ± 9.5% fusion in PRP/rhBMP-2 gel group and the average thickness of cranium bone in the PRP/rhBMP-2 gel group was statistically greater (P < 0.05) than in the control group and the PRP gel group. CONCLUSIONS: In this animal model, both PRP gel and PRP/rhBMP-2 gel are effective in improving new bone formation in suture distraction osteogenesis. PRP gel induces suture bone formation without suture fusion and accelerates the suture wound healing, while the PRP/rhBMP-2 gel group, in which the sutures fused prematurely, showed powerful bone formation ability aided by rhBMP-2. PRP can be alternatively use as a controlled release system for rhBMP-2, but caution should be used before proceeding with the application of high-dose growth factors around the growing craniofacial sutures.

Oil/Salt Use Assessment of Chinese-Style Canteens Based on Consumers' Perception of the Nutrition Environment.

Excess cooking oil and salt use in catering services contributes to obesity and cardiovascular disease, but the assessment of oil/salt use has been a challenge in nutrition environment measurement. We conducted a knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on 250 respondents in five university canteens at China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. Using on-site tools including a newly developed Likert scale and the previously tested Oil-Salt Visual Analogue Scale (OS-VAS), the respondents were asked to evaluate their personal taste, their impression of the oil/salt status of canteen dishes, and their attitude toward oil/salt reduction. Data analysis showed that gender and self-image of body shape had a significant impact on KAP scores and the impression of the oil/salt environment. The respondents' taste preferences correlated with their perception of oil and salt, but knowledge and attitude were not directly related to scores on oil and salt, while weight status was related to oil and salt scores. The Likert scale-based assessment could work but was not as effective as the OS-VAS in distinguishing the differences among the selected canteens. These results indicate that the quality of the nutrition environment in catering services needs to be comprehensively evaluated with an objective evaluation of raters and a subjective evaluation of consumers.

Corrosion Behavior of Reinforcing Steel in the Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT) under Submarine Environment.

The corrosion behavior of reinforcing steel in the ITT under a submarine environment was investigated. Electrochemical tests were carried out to separately determine the linear polarization curves and the AC impedance spectra of rebars in the ITT scaled-down models subjected to pressurized seawater erosion, from which key parameters were obtained, including the self-corrosion potential (Ecorr), corrosion current density (icorr), polarization resistance (Rp), concrete resistance (Rc), and charge migration resistance (Rct). The results show that in the process of pressurized seawater erosion, the rebars on the seawater side of the ITT models corroded earlier than the rebars on the cavity side, and it is recommended that anti-chloride ion penetration measures be taken on the surface of the seawater side as a priority in the project. The corrosion rate of rebars on the seawater side was significantly higher than that on the cavity side, and the corrosion rate of rebars on the cavity side increased as the erosion time increased. The corrosion rate of rebars in the ITT models was affected by chloride ions to a greater extent than by oxygen. Furthermore, by regression equation, a linear function between Rp obtained from the polarization curves and Rct obtained from the AC impedance spectra was established.

Designing a solar interfacial evaporator based on tree structures for great coordination of water transport and salt rejection.

Solar interfacial evaporation has been receiving increasing attention but it is still a huge challenge to achieve excellent coordination between efficient water transport and salt rejection. Here, unlike the common wood-inspired evaporators with equal-diameter directional pores, we have constructed an integrated structure with highly connected gradient pores that mimic the xylem vessels and phloem sieve tubes found in trees. The bio-inspired structure can reduce the resistance of water transport and salt rejection in the same channel. The average transport speed of the 6.5 cm high (2 cm in diameter) porous structure reached 1.504 g s-1, and water was transported 16 cm after 100 seconds. Using multilayer graphene oxide as the photothermal conversion material, the evaporators with different heights can work for more than 9 hours under the condition of 1 sun illumination and 23 wt% brine without any salt crystallization, and the evaporation rates range from 3.28 to 4.51 kg m-2 h-1, with the highest energy utilization efficiency of about 80%. When used in heavy metal treatment, the rejection was greater than 99.99%. This research provides a simple but innovative design idea for evaporators and is expected to further expand the application of solar interfacial evaporation.