Phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activities, and synergistic antiproliferative effects of blueberry and apple peel extracts.

BACKGROUND: Blueberries and apples exhibit favorable bioactivity and health benefits as a result of their rich phytochemicals. Natural phytochemicals exist in complex forms, but there are few reports on whether have additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects between different phytochemicals. The present study aimed to elucidate the synergistic effects of blueberry extract (BE) and apple peel extract (APE) together with respect to inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 liver cancer cells. Meanwhile, phytochemical characterization of BE and APE was conducted by HPLC, and total antioxidant activity was determined via a cellular antioxidant activity assay, oxygen radical absorption capacity assay and peroxy radical scavenging capacity assay. RESULTS: The results showed that BE and APE were rich in phytochemicals and had potent antioxidant activities, which synergistically inhibited cell proliferation. In the bilateral combination, the dose reduction index value increased by two-fold, and the combination index value at 95% inhibition was less than 1. Additionally, BE + APE supplementation could promote the expression levels of p53 and c-myc genes. In conclusion, the BE and APE had strong antioxidant activity and exhibited synergistic inhibition against proliferation of HepG2 cells. CONCLUSION: The present study can provide a theoretical basis for the synergistic effect of different phytochemicals in health care. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis in 12 children with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy]. / 12ä¾‹æ–°åž‹å† çŠ¶ç— æ¯’Omicronå˜å¼‚æ ªæ„ŸæŸ“ç›¸å ³æ€¥æ€§åæ­»æ€§è„‘ç— å„¿ç«¥çš„ä¸´åºŠç‰¹ç‚¹åŠé¢„åŽåˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical characteristics and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical data of 12 children with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection-associated ANE who were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital from December 18 to 29, 2022. The children were divided into two groups based on outcomes: death group (7 cases) and survival group (5 cases). The clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The median age of the 12 patients was 30 months, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. All patients presented with persistent high fever, with a median highest body temperature of 41℃. The median time from fever onset to seizure or consciousness disturbance was 18 hours. The death group had a higher proportion of neurogenic shock, coagulation dysfunction, as well as elevated lactate, D-dimer, interleukin-6, interleukin--8, and interleukin-10 levels compared to the survival group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection-associated with ANE commonly present with persistent high fever, rapidly progressing disease, and have a high likelihood of developing consciousness disorders and multiorgan dysfunction within a short period. The occurrence of neurogenic shock, coagulation dysfunction, and significantly elevated cytokine levels suggests an increased risk of mortality.

DAF-16 is involved in colonic metabolites of ferulic acid-promoted longevity and stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans.

BACKGROUND: Ferulic acid (FA) is a dietary polyphenol widely found in plant tissues. It has long been considered to have health-promoting qualities. However, the biological properties of dietary polyphenols depend largely on their absorption during digestion, and the effects of their intestinal metabolites on human health have attracted the interest of researchers. This study evaluated the effects of three main colonic metabolites of FA - 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (3,4diOHPPA), 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (3OHPPA) and 3-phenylpropionic acid (3PPA) - on longevity and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. RESULTS: Our results showed that 3,4diOHPPA, 3OHPPA and 3PPA extended the lifespan under normal conditions in C. elegans whereas FA did not. High doses of 3,4diOHPPA (0.5 mmol L-1 ), 3OHPPA (2.5 mmol L-1 ) and 3PPA (2.5 mmol L-1 ) prolonged the mean lifespan by 11.2%, 13.0% and 10.6%, respectively. Moreover, 3,4diOHPPA, 3OHPPA and 3PPA treatments promoted stress tolerance against heat, UV irradiation and paraquat. Furthermore, three metabolites ameliorated physical functions, including reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels, motility and pharyngeal pumping rate. The anti-aging activities mediated by 3,4diOHPPA, 3OHPPA and 3PPA depend on the HSF-1 and JNK-1 linked insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway, which converge onto DAF-16. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that colonic metabolites of FA have the potential for use as anti-aging bioactivate compounds. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification of key phenolic compounds responsible for antioxidant activities of free and bound fractions of blackberry varieties' extracts by boosted regression trees.

BACKGROUND: Free fractions of different blackberry varieties' extracts are high in phenolic compounds with antioxidant activities. However, the phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities against peroxyl radicals of bound fractions of different blackberry varieties' extracts have not been previously reported. In addition, what the key antioxidant phenolic compounds are in free and bound fractions of blackberry extracts remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities of free and bound fractions of eight blackberry varieties' extracts and reveal the key antioxidant phenolic compounds by boosted regression trees. RESULTS: Fifteen phenolics (three anthocyanins, four flavonols, three phenolic acids, two proanthocyanidins, and three ellagitannins) were identified in blackberry by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ferulic acid, ellagic acid, procyanidin C1, kaempferol-O-hexoside, ellagitannins hex, and gallic acid were major bound phenolics. Bound fractions of eight blackberry varieties' extracts were high in phenolics and showed great antioxidant activity. Boosted regression trees analysis showed that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and chlorogenic acid were the most significant compounds, contributing 48.4% and 15.9% respectively to the antioxidant activity of free fraction. Ferulic acid was the most significant antioxidant compound in bound fraction, with a contribution of 61.5%. Principal component analysis showed that Kiowa was the best among the eight varieties due to its phenolic profile and antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that blackberry varieties contained high amounts of bound phenolics, which confer health benefits through reducing oxidative stress. Ferulic acid was the key compound to explain the antioxidant activities of bound fractions. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessment of the Phenolic Profiles, Hypoglycemic Activity, and Molecular Mechanism of Different Highland Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Varieties.

The phenolic profiles, hypoglycemic activity, and molecular mechanism of the effect on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) of four highland barley varieties were investigated in the present study. The fundamental phenolics in highland barley were ferulic acid, naringin, and catechin, which mainly existed in bound form. These varieties showed favorable hypoglycemic activity via inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, enhancement of glucose consumption, glycogen accumulation and glycogen synthase 2 (GYS2) activity, and down-regulation of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activities. Specifically, ZQ320 variety exhibited the strongest hypoglycemic activity compared to the other varieties. Highland barley phenolics could inhibit gluconeogenesis and motivate glycogen synthesis via down-regulating the gene expression of G6Pase, PEPCK, and glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß), while activating the expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), serine/threonine kinase (Akt), GYS2, and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4). Therefore, phenolics from highland barley could be served as suitable candidates for therapeutic agent in T2DM to improve human health.

Nobiletin Delays Aging and Enhances Stress Resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Nobiletin (NOB), one of polymethoxyflavone existing in citrus fruits, has been reported to exhibit a multitude of biological properties, including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-atherosclerosis, neuroprotection, and anti-tumor activity. However, little is known about the anti-aging effect of NOB. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of NOB on lifespan, stress resistance, and its associated gene expression. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, an in vivo nematode model, we found that NOB remarkably extended the lifespan; slowed aging-related functional declines; and increased the resistance against various stressors, including heat shock and ultraviolet radiation. Also, NOB reduced the effects of paraquat stressor on nematodes and scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, gene expression revealed that NOB upregulated the expression of sod-3, hsp-16.2, gst-4, skn-1, sek-1, and sir-2.1, which was suggested that anti-aging activity of NOB was mediated most likely by activation of the target genes of the transcription factors including dauer formation (DAF)-16, heat-shock transcription factor (HSF)-1, and skinhead (SKN)-1. In summary, NOB has potential application in extension of lifespan, and its associated healthspan and stress resistances.

Effects of Orange Extracts on Longevity, Healthspan, and Stress Resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Orange, with various bioactive phytochemicals, exerts various beneficial health effects, including anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its anti-aging effects remain unclear. In this study, the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model was used to evaluate the effects of orange extracts on lifespan and stress resistance. The results indicated that orange extracts dose-dependently increased the mean lifespan of C. elegans by 10.5%, 18.0%, and 26.2% at the concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 mg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, orange extracts promoted the healthspan by improving motility, and decreasing the accumulation of age pigment and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels without damaging fertility. The survival rates of orange extract-fed worms were obviously higher than those of untreated worms against thermal and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) stress. Moreover, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly enhanced while malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were diminished. Further investigation revealed that worms supplemented with orange extracts resulted in upregulated levels of genes, including daf-16, sod-3, gst-4, sek-1, and skn-1, and the downregulation of age-1 expression. These findings revealed that orange extracts have potential anti-aging effects through extending the lifespan, enhancing stress resistance, and promoting the healthspan.

Biosynthesis and accumulation of multi-vitamins in black sweet corn (Zea mays L.) during kernel development.

BACKGROUND: Black sweet corn as an edible fruit has various nutritional qualities. This study discusses changes in the vitamin C and E, folate, and carotenoid content during black sweet corn maturation, and also the effects of preharvest weather conditions and of related genes in multi-vitamin biosynthesis pathways. RESULTS: Most vitamin levels improved, especially vitamin C and carotenoid levels, while the folate content dropped rapidly. Transcript levels of most genes in folate biosynthesis showed trends that were similar to the content changes. VTC2 and GLDH, which are regulated by light, had high expression levels leading to an increase in ascorbate content during maturation. γ-Tocotrienol is the main vitamin E component, and HGGT, the key gene controlling the synthesis of tocotrienols, had a much higher expression level than other genes. Lutein and zeaxanthin were the dominant carotenoid components. A rapid reduction in the transcription level of LCYε could result in a lower lutein production rate . CONCLUSION: Black sweet corn has a high nutritional value and is rich in vitamins, including zeaxanthin, γ-tocotrienols, and ascorbic acid. The best harvest time is between 20-25 days after pollination (DAPs) when kernels had a good taste as well as relatively high vitamin levels. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative Study of Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities in Different Vegetative Parts of Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.).

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) is usually cultivated as a fiber crop, but it is also well known for its potential use in animal feeding with viable commercial applications. In this study, the phenolics profile as well as cellular antioxidant and antiproliferative activities were investigated in free and bound fractions of six different vegetative parts from Boehmeria nivea L. The highest total phenolic content was observed in bud (4585 ± 320 mg GAE/100 g DW), whereas root and petiole had the lowest total phenolic contents, 442.8 ± 9.8 and 630.9 ± 27.0 mg GAE/100 g DW, respectively. Likewise, phloem had the most abundant total flavonoids (2755 ± 184 mg CE/100 g DW), whereas the lowest flavonoid contents was found in root and petiole, 636.9 ± 44.2 and 797.4 ± 87.6 mg CE/100 g DW, respectively. Xylem and bud depicted remarkable antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, which could be explained by their diverse phenolic composition, especially chlorogenic acid and epicatechin. The Boehmeria nivea L. plant might be a valuable resource for high value-added phenolic compounds used in food and non-food industries.

Ursolic acid, a potential anticancer compound for breast cancer therapy.

There are growing interests in the health benefits associated with consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially for the prevention of cancer, cardiovascular, or other chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies and clinical trials suggest that these health benefits are strongly associated with phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables. Ursolic acid is a naturally synthesized pentacyclic triterpenoid, widely distributed in different fruits and vegetables. Current research suggested that ursolic acid and its derivatives exhibited anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory effects, and induction of apoptosis in several human cancer cells. In particular, ursolic acid inhibited breast cancer proliferation by inducing cell G1/G2 arrest and regulating the expression of key proteins in signal transduction pathways. In addition, ursolic acid induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells through intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. Ursolic acid was also determined to scavenge free radicals and have potent anti-inflammation activity. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on anticancer activity of ursolic acid and focus on its mechanisms of action.

[Clinical features of children with Epstein-Barr virus-related acute liver failure: an analysis of four cases].

A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of four children with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related acute liver failure. There were two boys and two girls with a median age of 10 months (range 8.5-44 months). Of the four children, three were diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis (IM), among whom two met the diagnostic criteria of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and one was diagnosed with past EBV infection. All the children had positive EBV DNA in blood and all had pyrexia, hepatomegaly, and jaundice on admission. Three children had the symptom of splenomegaly, ascites, or vomiting. Two children had enlargement of cervical lymph nodes, skin rash, or pleural effusion. One child had gastrointestinal bleeding or stage 2 hepatic encephalopathy. All the children had an abnormal lymphocyte count of <10%, and only one child had leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia. Among the four children, alanine aminotransferase level increased by 10-100 times; total bilirubin level increased by 3-5 times; lactate dehydrogenase level increased by many 10 times; prothrombin time prolonged significantly. All the children were given antiviral therapy with intravenously injected acyclovir or ganciclovir, as well as hepatocyte growth factor to promote hepatocyte growth and hormone to alleviate inflammatory response. Two children were given plasma exchange in addition, among whom one was given the combination of continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration. Two children with HLH were given chemotherapy according to the HLH-2004 regimen. Three children survived, and one child with HLH died of multiple organ failure. It is concluded that EBV infection can cause acute liver failure and that early use of multimodality therapy including blood purification may be beneficial for prognosis in these children.

Impact of Novel Prebiotic Galacto-Oligosaccharides on Various Biomarkers of Colorectal Cancer in Wister Rats.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths around the globe. Bioactive food ingredients such as prebiotics have protective potential in colon cancer. Data on galacto-oligosaccharides (GalOS) against CRC are very limited and GalOS used in this study have ß-1,6 and ß-1,3 as major glycosidic linkages and, to our best knowledge, were never used before against any cancer treatment. This study aims to investigate the protective role of novel GalOS against various biomarkers of CRC including aberrant crypt foci (ACF), bacterial enzymes and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in a rodent model induced with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH). Inulin group was taken as positive control in present study to compare novel GalOS protective effects. GalOS doses of 76-151 mg and inulin doses of 114 mg were given to different groups treated with DMH. Results showed that ACF formation was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) less in high dose GalOS group (27.3%). GalOS also had protective effects against DMH-induced body weight loss and showed higher level of cecal and fecal SCFA (acetate, propionate and butyrate). High doses of GalOS also resulted in significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction of bacterial enzymatic activities. Increased populations of beneficial bacteria (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) and decreased concentrations of harmful bacteria were observed in all prebiotics treatment groups. It can be concluded that novel GalOS exhibit robust protective activity against ACF formation in vivo.

Evaluation of Biosynthesis, Accumulation and Antioxidant Activityof Vitamin E in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.) during Kernel Development.

Sweet corn kernels were used in this research to study the dynamics of vitamin E, by evaluatingthe expression levels of genes involved in vitamin E synthesis, the accumulation of vitamin E, and the antioxidant activity during the different stage of kernel development. Results showed that expression levels of ZmHPT and ZmTC genes increased, whereas ZmTMT gene dramatically decreased during kernel development. The contents of all the types of vitamin E in sweet corn had a significant upward increase during kernel development, and reached the highest level at 30 days after pollination (DAP). Amongst the eight isomers of vitamin E, the content of γ-tocotrienol was the highest, and increased by 14.9 folds, followed by α-tocopherolwith an increase of 22 folds, and thecontents of isomers γ-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, δ-tocopherol,δ-tocotrienol, and ß-tocopherol were also followed during kernel development. The antioxidant activity of sweet corn during kernel development was increased, and was up to 101.8 ± 22.3 µmol of α-tocopherol equivlent/100 g in fresh weight (FW) at 30 DAP. There was a positive correlation between vitamin E contents and antioxidant activity in sweet corn during the kernel development, and a negative correlation between the expressions of ZmTMT gene and vitamin E contents. These results revealed the relations amongst the content of vitamin E isomers and the gene expression, vitamin E accumulation, and antioxidant activity. The study can provide a harvesting strategy for vitamin E bio-fortification in sweet corn.

[Value of serum S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase levels in predicting the severity of hand, foot and mouth disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of serum S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels in predicting the severity of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). METHODS: Ninety children with HFMD were classified into three groups: common type, severe type, and critical type (n=30 each). Thirty healthy children were randomly selected as the control group. ELISA was used to measure serum levels of S100B protein and NSE before and at 7 days after treatment. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the prediction efficiency of S100B protein and NSE for the severity of HFMD. RESULTS: The critical type group had significant increases in the serum levels of S100B protein and NSE compared with the other three groups (P<0.01). The severe type group had significant increases in serum levels of S100B protein and NSE compared with the common type and control groups (P<0.01). The critical type and severe type groups had significant reductions in serum levels of S100B protein and NSE after treatment (P<0.05). Serum S100B protein had the highest Youden value of 0.611 at the cut-off value of 0.445 µg/L, with a sensitivity of 61% and a specificity of 100%, in the prediction of serious HFMD (including severe type and critical type HFMD). Serum NSE had the highest Youden value of 0.533 at the cut-off value of 5.905 µg/L, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 73%, in the prediction of serious HFMD. Combined measurements of these two parameters had a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 73% and had the highest predictive value for serious HFMD. CONCLUSIONS: The serum levels of S100B protein and NSE help to predict the severity and treatment outcomes of HFMD. Combined measurements of these two parameters has a higher predictive value for serious HFMD.

[Association between S100B gene polymorphisms and hand, foot and mouth disease caused by enterovirus 71 infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between rs9722 polymorphisms in the S100B gene and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) caused by enterovirus 71. METHODS: A total of 124 HFMD children with enterovirus 71 infection were enrolled as subjects, and 56 healthy children were enrolled as control group. The rs9722 polymorphisms in the S100B gene were detected for both groups, and the serum level of S100B protein was measured for 74 HFMD children. RESULTS: The rs9722 locus of the S100B gene had three genotypes, CC, CT, and TT, and the genotype frequencies were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Compared with the control group, the HFMD group had significant increases in the frequencies of TT genotype and T allele (P<0.01). Children with severe HFMD caused by enterovirus 71 infection had significantly higher frequencies of TT genotype and T allele than those with moderate or mild HFMD (P<0.05). Compared with the cured patients, the patients with poor prognosis had significant increases in the frequencies of TT genotype and T allele in the rs9722 locus of the S100B gene (P<0.05). Among the 74 children with HFMD, the children with TT genotype had the highest serum level of S100B protein, and those with CC genotype had the lowest level (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: T allele in the rs9722 locus of the S100B gene might be a risk factor for severe HFMD caused by enterovirus 71 infection.

Effect of processing on phenolic antioxidants of fruits, vegetables, and grains--a review.

Understanding the influence of processing operations such as drying/dehydration, canning, extrusion, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field, and ohmic heating on the phytochemicals of fruits, vegetables, and grains is important in retaining the health benefiting properties of these antioxidative compounds in processed food products. Most of the previous investigations in the literature on the antioxidants of fruits, vegetables, and grains have shown that food-processing operations reduced the antioxidants of the processed foods, which is also the usual consumer perception. However, in the last decade some articles in the literature reported that the evaluation of nutritional quality of processed fruits and vegetables not only depend on the quantity of vitamin C but should include analyses of other antioxidant phytochemicals and antioxidant activity. Thermal processing increased the total antioxidant activity of tomato and sweet corn. Most importantly, analysis also depends on the condition, type, and mechanism of antioxidant assays used. This review aims to provide concise information on the influence of various thermal and nonthermal food-processing operations on the stability and kinetics of health beneficial phenolic antioxidants of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Comparative Assessment of Phenolic Content and in Vitro Antioxidant Capacity in the Pulp and Peel of Mango Cultivars.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.), also called "the king of fruits", is one of the most popular fruits in tropical regions. Pulp and peel samples of mango cultivars were analyzed to estimate total phenolic, total flavonoid and total anthocyanin contents. Phenolic acids, hydrophilic peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (hydro-PSC) and oxygen radical scavenging capacity (ORAC) in vitro were also determined. Total phenolics and flavonoid contents were found maximum in the peel of Xiao Tainang and Da Tainang cultivars, respectively, whereas Xiao Tainang also exhibited significant antioxidant capacity. Noteworthy, concentrations of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acids at 79.15, 64.33, 33.75, 27.19 and 13.62 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) were quantified for Da Tainang, Xiao Tainang and of Jidan cultivars, respectively. Comparatively, a higher level of phenolics and significant antioxidant capacity in mango peel indicated that it might be useful as a functional food and value-added ingredient to promote human health.

[Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of children with critical hand-foot-mouth disease treated with mechanical ventilation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of children with critical hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) who were treated with mechanical ventilation and to explore the risk factors for poor prognosis. METHODS: The clinical data of 63 children with critical HFMD who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit between April 2012 and September 2013 and needed mechanical ventilation were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 63 children, 43 were boys and 20 were girls, and their mean age was 25 ± 18 months, with 81% under 3 years old. The four death cases were all under three years old. Compared with the cured cases, the death cases had a significantly lower mean age (8 ± 3 months vs 25 ± 18 months; P<0.05). Poor peripheral circulation above the elbow or knee joint, pulmonary edema involving at least two thirds of the lung field, and pulmonary hemorrhage were all closely related to death (P<0.01). The death cases and cured cases had significantly different peripheral white blood cell counts, blood lactic acid, and blood glucose (24 ± 11× 109/L vs 12 ± 5×109/L; 6.6 ± 1.8 mmol/L vs 3.6 ± 1.7 mmol/L; 16.4 ± 2.5 mmol/L vs 10.0 ± 3.0 mmol/L). The cases with critical illness score <90 had a significantly higher death risk (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Children with critical HFMD are mainly under 3 years old. The children face extremely high risk of death when they suffer from poor peripheral circulation above the elbow or knee joint, pulmonary edema involving at least two thirds of the lung field, and pulmonary hemorrhage. Significant increases in peripheral white blood cell counts, blood lactic acid, and blood glucose are risk factors for poor prognosis. Critical illness score is also related to poor prognosis.

Synergistic radiation protective effect of purified Auricularia auricular-judae polysaccharide (AAP IV) with grape seed procyanidins.

The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic antioxidant potential and protective effect of grape seed procyanidins (GSP) in combination with Auricularia auricular-judae polysaccharides (AAP IV) on radiation injury in splenocytes. Rat splenocyte irradiation resulted in significantly higher apoptosis rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.005), reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.01); cell viability, total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) (p < 0.01), catalase (CAT) (p < 0.01), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) (p < 0.05), activity and glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.01) levels were significantly reduced, compared with the control group. "GSP + AAP IV" treatment of rat splenocytes at doses of "GSP (0.3 µg/mL) + AAP IV (50 µg/mL)" displayed higher radioprotective and antioxidative effects than the administration of either GSP or AAP IV, as evident by lower levels of MDA (p < 0.001) concentration, as well as higher cell viability and T-SOD (p < 0.05), CAT (p < 0.005), GSH-PX (p < 0.01) and GSH content compared to the radiation group. In addition, in vivo studies have shown that "GSP + AAP IV" significantly ameliorated the decrease of spleen index (p < 0.005) and spleen GSH (p < 0.005) levels and significantly inhibited the increase of MDA (p < 0.005) levels of spleen with radiation-induced damage, compared with the non-treated group. The in vivo and in vitro results suggested that GSP and AAP IV have a synergistic protective effect against radiation-induced injury by improving the antioxidant and immunomodulation activities.

Micronization induced gelatinization of tapioca starch and its effects on starch physicochemical and structural properties.

The vibrating superfine mill (VSM) is a machine that belongs to the micronization technique. In this study, VSM was employed to produce micronized tapioca starch by varying micronization times (15, 30, 45, and 60 min). The structural and physicochemical properties of the micronized starch were then examined. Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed that micronized starch was partially gelatinized, and the granule size dramatically increased when micronization time increased. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the relative crystallinity was decreased from 24.67% (native) to 4.13% after micronization treatment for 15 min and slightly decreased after that. The solubility of micronized starch significantly increased as the micronization time increased, which was associated with the destruction of the starch crystalline structure. Differential scanning calorimetry investigations confirmed that micronized starch was "partly gelatinized," and the degree of gelatinization increased to 81.27% when the micronization time was 60 min. The weight-average molar mass was reduced by 15.0% (15 min), 30.9% (30 min), 55.7% (45 min), and 70.5% (60 min), respectively, indicating that the molecular structure was seriously degraded. The results demonstrated that the physicochemical changes of micronized starch granules were related to the destruction of the starch structure. These observations would provide details on micronized starch and its potential applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: These observations would provide details on micronized starch and its potential applications. Moreover, we believe that when the structures of starches were known, it is probable that the effect of VSM on the structural and physicochemical properties change of other starches might be predicted by adjusting the processing time.