[Cytopathological characteristics of SMARCA4-deficient thoracic undifferentiated tumors in serous effusion].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of SMARCA4-deficient thoracic undifferentiated tumors, and the diagnostic value of the cells in serous effusion. Methods: Eleven cases of SMARCA4-deficient tumor were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, China from January 2018 to July 2023, which were diagnosed using cell block of serous effusion. The clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular genetic features were reviewed, along with related literature. Results: All the 11 patients were males with ages ranging from 54 to 77 years (median 64 years). Nine patients were smokers and two had an unknown smoking history. Most of them complained of cough and dyspnea with pleural effusion. The primary tumor sites included lung (9 cases), thoracic wall (1 case), and mediastinum (1 case), while 3 patients had a history of lung surgery. Histologically, tumor cells were large and pleomorphic, with increased nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio. They also showed round nuclei, conspicuous nucleoli, and basophilic cytoplasm in serous effusion. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells in all cases were negative for SMARCA4/BRG1, CKpan and CK7, but positive for SMARCB1/INI1. Some of the cases were positive for CD34 (7/11), synaptophysin (4/11) and SALL4 (2/11). Histologically, monotonous tumor cells formed solid sheets or anastomosing islands with poor cell adhesion and rhabdoid morphology. Brisk mitotic figures were accompanied by large areas of necrosis. Some cases focally exhibited syncytia, and some had bright cytoplasm and vesicular chromatin. The immunohistochemical profiles in the tumor tissues were consistent with those of cytology. Six cases were negative for PD-L1 (22c3). Among the 6 cases analyzed by targeted next generation sequencing, concurrent SMARCA4 and TP53 mutations were detected in all 6 cases. Some of the 6 tumors showed mutations of STK11, CDKN2A, and MET, and amplification of ERBB2, exon deletion of BRCA2, etc. Follow-up information was available in all cases and ranged from 2 to 24 months. The patients showed metastases to various sites, including lymph node, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, brain, bone and other sites. Four patients died of the tumor. The survival time of 4 patients who underwent radical resection or radiofrequency ablation was more than 13 months. Conclusions: SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcoma is a rare but highly aggressive tumor with dismal prognosis and rhabdomyoid features. It is difficult to diagnose this disease using only serous effusion samples. This tumor thus warrants careful consideration. Accurate diagnosis can greatly improve early diagnosis and treatment of these tumors.

[The influencing factors and the effect of myopia control in children treated with orthokeratology].

Objective: To analyze the influencing factors and the effect of myopia control in children treated with orthokeratology. Methods: It was a retrospective case series study. Data of 137 children from June 2016 to July 2020 in the Optometry Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University who were fitted with orthokeratology lenses and kept wearing them for 24 months were retrospectively reviewed. These children were divided into the modeling group (n=91) and verification group (n=46). The baseline conditions were recorded before they wore the orthokeratology lenses, including age, spherical equivalent refractive power (SER) and pupil area. The decentration distance was measured with a tangential difference map. Axial length (AL) changes of all children during 24 months were calculated. The influencing factors and the effect of myopia control were analyzed, and a regression equation was formulated with the modeling group. Then the influencing factors were imported with the verification group to compare the AL change differences between prediction and measurement. Results: There was statistical difference in AL between baseline and after wearing orthokeratology lenses for 24 months both in the modeling group [(25.16±0.90) mm vs. (25.56±0.82) mm; t=-10.119, P<0.001] and verification group [(25.29±0.71) mm vs. (25.67±0.69) mm; t=-8.785, P<0.001]. The AL changes in the modeling group showed significant correlations with baseline age (r=-0.365, P<0.001), baseline SER (r=0.308, P=0.003), pupil area (r=-0.260, P=0.013) and decentration distance (r=-0.352, P=0.001). The regression equation was as follows: y=1.609-0.056a-0.315b-0.009c+0.054d (y: AL changes, a: baseline age, b: decentration distance, c: pupil area, d: baseline SER). There was no statistical difference between prediction and measurement [(0.40±0.20) mm vs. (0.40±0.32) mm; t=-0.036, P=0.971]. Conclusion: Baseline age, decentration distance, baseline SER and pupil area contributed to predict the effect of myopia control after orthokeratology treatment.

[A prospective study on the associations between dietary intakes of energy and macronutrients before menarche and age at menarche among girls].

Based on the data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), 840 girls aged 6-15 years who had information about menarche and participated in dietary survey at least once within 1-5 years before onset of menarche between 1989 and 2015 were included in the study. The median age at baseline of the 840 participants was 10 (9, 11) years. The median age at menarche of the participants was 13 (12, 14) years. After adjusting for the age of birth, place of residence, body mass index Z-score, physical activity level and annual household income per capita, the average age of menarche was advanced by 0.036 (95%CI: -0.068, -0.004) years for every 10 g increase in daily fat intake before menarche. The average age at menarche was 0.008 (95%CI: -0.014, -0.001) years earlier for every 1% increase in the daily energy supply ratio of fat before menarche.

[Emergency training need and effect evaluation analysis of novel coronavirus pneumonia in centers of disease control and prevention].

A questionnaire was used to investigate the emergency training needs of novel coronavirus pneumonia of disease prevention and control institutions in provinces, deputy provincial level regions and cities specifically designated in the state plan, and the effect evaluation of emergency training activities conducted by Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC). The results showed that 67.4% of 47 disease prevention and control institutions (31/46) believed that the emergency training at the initial stage of the epidemic should be conducted as soon as possible, and the form of network training should be given priority. The training should focus on the urgently needed technologies such as epidemiological investigation, formulation and response of prevention and control strategies, laboratory testing, etc. The teaching materials should highlight pertinence and practicability and be presented in the form of electronic video. The average satisfaction score of the video training conducted by China CDC was (8.81±1.125) and the score of audio-video courseware was (8.97±0.893). The needs analysis and evaluation of novel coronavirus pneumonia prevention and control in disease prevention and control institutions could provide reference for the follow-up training and improve the emergency training management.

[Clinical significance of combined sST2 and NT-proBNP detection for the short-term prognosis of acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning].

Objective: To explore the value of soluble growth stimulation expression gene 2 protein (soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2; sST2) and N terminal B type brain natriuretic peptide (N-terminal probrainnatriuretic peptide, NT-proBNP) in evaluating the short-term prognosis of acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning. Methods: select 228 patients with acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning in our hospital from October 2017 to March 2020. According to the grade of poisoning degree, it was divided into 82 cases in mild and moderate group and 146 cases in severe group. hs-cTnI、CK-MB、sST2、NT-proBNP、APACHE Ⅱ score and cholinesterase activity were detected 4 h、12 h、24 h after admission. ROC curve was used to evaluate sST2 and NT-proBNP to predict the prognosis of AOPP. Results: 4 hours after admission, there was no significant difference in the scores of hs-cTnI, APACHE Ⅱ, cholinesterase and CK-MB between the Severe Group and the mild and moderate Group (P<0.05) . At 12 and 24 hours after admission, the scores of hs-cTnI, CK-MB and APACHE Ⅱ in severe group were higher than those in mild and moderate group, and the changes of Cholinesterase were more significant than those in 12 hours after Admission (P<0.05) . 4 hours after admission, SST2 and NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in severe group than those in mild and moderate Group (P<0.05) . The level of SST2 and NT-proBNP in the severe group was significantly higher than that in the mild and moderate group 12 and 24 hours after Admission (P<0.01) , and the level of SST2 and NT-proBNP was significantly higher than that in the mild group 12 hours after Admission (P<0.05) . Correlation analysis showed that 24 hours after admission, sST2, NT-proBNP were positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ scores (R=0.634, 0.723, P<0.01) . The area under sST2 combined with NT-proBNP was 0.891, higher than that under sST2 and NT-proBNP at 12 h after admission. The 24 h APACHE Ⅱ score after admission area under the curve was 0.838. Conclusion: sST2 and NT-proBNP combined detection can early predict the occurrence of recent complications in AOPP patients.

Study on the characteristics and mechanism of pulsed laser cleaning of polyacrylate resin coating on aluminum alloy substrates.

The behavior of paint removal with a pulsed laser has been investigated using an Nd:YAG fiber laser. Experimental and theoretical analyses are conducted to reveal the underlying mechanism of the paint removal. The results show that the depth, radius, and volume of the pit formed by a single pulse become larger with increases in the energy density. The ideal parameters for the complete removal of paint have been achieved. During the paint removal, burning occurred over the surface, and the variation in element content has been attributed to the absorption of laser energy. Under the action of the pulsed laser, there was breakage and rearrangement of chemical bonds such as C-C, C-N, and C-O in the molecular chain of the polyacrylate paint coating. Through these analyses, the paint removal mechanism was shown to be based on chemical bond breakage, combustion, and mechanical action provided by the thermal expansion and plasma shock.

[Predictive value of early detection of hs-cTnI and sST2 for secondary cardiac damage in severe acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning].

Objective: To investigate the value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) in predicting cardiac complications of severe acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (SAOPP) . Methods: All 274 SAOPP patients from September 2014 to February 2019 were selected. According to the results of hs-cTnI detection, the patients were divided into non-elevated troponin group (78 cases) and troponin elevation group (196 cases) at 1 hour after admission. 3 days after admission, there were 109 cases of complication and 165 cases of non-complication according to the presence or absence of cardiac complications. The changes of hs-cTnI, sST2, N-terminal B-type brain natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP) , acute physiology and chronic health (APACHE-Ⅱ) , cholinesterase activity, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) , short axis shortening rate (FS) were observed and analyzed. The predictive value of hs-cTnI and sST2 were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Results: The sST2 level in patients with troponin elevation group was significantly higher than that in non-elevated troponin group (P<0.05) . Compared with the non-complication and non-elevated troponin group, the patients with non-complication and troponin elevation group had elevated hs-cTnI, sST2 and decreased cholinesterase (P<0.05) . Compared with other groups, the hs-cTnI, sST2, NT-proBNP, and APACHE-Ⅱ scores in the complication and troponin elevation group were significantly increased, and cholinesterase was significantly reduced (P<0.05) . In the non-complication group, LVEF and FS were in the normal range, and there was no significant difference between the groups (P>0.05) . Compared with other groups, the LVEF and FS of patients with elevated troponin in the complications group were significantly decreased (P<0.05) . Correlation analysis showed that hs-cTnI and sST2 were positively correlated in patients with SAOPP complications (r=0.725, P<0.01) . hs-cTnI, sST2 and APACHE-Ⅱ scores were positively correlated in the complications group (r=0.846, 0.885, P<0.01) . ROC results showed that the areas under the curve for predicting SAOPP secondary heart damage of hs-cTnI (1 hour after admission) and sST2 (3 days after admission) were 0.945 and 0.833, respectively. Conclusion: hs-cTnI and sST2 may have important clinical value in the early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of patients with SAOPP secondary cardiac damage.

Relationship between ncRNAs and gastric cancer: meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the action and mechanism of cordyceps polysaccharide on rat acute liver failure (ALF). METHODS: Sixty rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, model group, and cordyceps polysaccharide groups with high, middle and low doses (20, 10 and 5 mg/ml). Apoptosis was detected through TUNEL method. Protein expressions of caspase 1, IL-18, IL-10, VEGF, and SDF-1α in liver tissue are detected by Western Blot. PCNA and sIRPα1 contents were measured by PCR method. Rat ALF is modeled with a D-galactosamine induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RESULTS: The results after modelling showed tissue HE staining wiith typical manifestation of acute liver injury. Compared with the medicated group, serum ALT and AST, as well as hepatocyte apoptosis are significantly higher in the liver failure group, in a time-dependent way. This suggests that medication can effectively inhibit the expression of caspase 1, IL-18, and IL-10, while simultaneously increasing the expression of VEGF and SDF-1α, as well as of PCNA and sIRPα1. Cordyceps polysaccharide can alleviate the immune inflammatory response in acute liver failure, and may be specifically homing to the damaged liver, thus promoting the secretion of VEGF, proliferation of hepatocyte, regeneration of liver vessels, and repair of liver tissues. CONCLUSION: Medication can reduce the IL-10 level, regulate the equilibrium of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors, and decrease the level of caspase 1 and IL-18 (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 18).

Diverse interface effects on ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric coupling in asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junctions: the role of the interfacial bonding structure.

Interface and size effects on electric/magnetic orders and magnetoelectric coupling are vital in the modern application of quantum-size functional devices based on multiferroic tunnel junctions. In order to give a comprehensive study of the interface and size effects, the properties of a typical asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junction, i.e., Fe/BaTiO3/Co, have been calculated using the first-principles simulations. Most importantly, all of the eight possible structures with four combinations of electrode/ferroelectric interfaces (i.e., Fe/BaO, Fe/TiO2, Co/BaO and Co/TiO2) and a series of barrier thicknesses have been taken into account. In this work, the equilibrium configurations, polarization, charge density, spin density and magnetic moments, etc., have been completely simulated and comprehensively analyzed. It is found that the ferroelectric stability is determined as a competition outcome of the strength of short-range chemical bondings and long-range depolarization/built-in fields. M/BaO (M = magnetic metal) terminations show an extraordinary enhancement of local polarization near the interface and increase the critical thickness of ferroelectricity. The bistability of polarization is well kept at the M/TiO2 interface. At the same time, the induced magnetic moment on atoms at the interfaces is rather localized and dominated by the local interfacial configuration. Reversing electric polarization can switch the induced magnetic moments, wherein atoms in M-O-Ti and M-Ti-O chains show preference for being magnetized. In addition, the difference between the sum of the interfacial magnetic moments is also enlarged with the increase of the barrier thickness. Our study provides a comprehensive and detailed reference to the manipulation and utilization of the interface, size and magnetoelectric effects in asymmetric multiferroic tunnel junctions.

Effects of dietary Lactobacillus plantarum B1 on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, and short chain fatty acid profiles in broiler chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum B1 on broiler performance, cecal bacteria, and ileal and cecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA). The study also determined whether it was necessary to feed Lactobacillus throughout the entire growth period or if the beneficial effects could be obtained by supplementation during the starter or finisher period only. Experiment 1 was conducted with 72 broilers assigned to 2 treatments (N=6). One treatment was the basal diet (Con), and the other was the basal diet supplemented with 2×10(9) cfu/kg L. plantarum B1 (Wh). In experiment 2, 144 one-day-old broilers were assigned to 4 treatments (N=6) including a basal diet (Con), the basal diet supplemented with 2×10(9) cfu/kgL. plantarum B1 during d one to 21 only (St), the basal diet supplemented with L. plantarum B1 during d 22 to 42 only (Fn), and, finally, the basal diet supplemented with L. plantarum B1 from d one to 42 (Wh). Experiment 1 showed that L. plantarum B1 enhanced broiler average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). In experiment 2, during the starter period, broilers in the Wh and St treatments had higher ADG (P<0.05) than broilers in the Con and Fn, while during the finisher period, broilers in the Wh and Fn had higher ADG (P<0.01) and improved FCR (P<0.01) compared with broilers in the Con and St. On d 42, broilers in the Wh and Fn had decreased E. coli (P<0.05) and increased lactic acid bacteria (P<0.05) in their cecal digesta. L. plantarum B1 also increased (P<0.05) ileal mucosal sIgA as well as ileal and cecal SCFA. However, L. plantarum B1 had no effect on intestinal morphology. In conclusion,L. plantarum B1 plays a positive role in broilers. Supplementation during the finisher period or the entire growth period is superior to supplementation during the starter period only.

[Clinical value of serum presepsin (SCD14-ST) concentration measurement in patients with pesticide poisoning].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of serum presepsin concentration measurement in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients with pesticide poisoning patients. METHODS: A total of 160 patients with pesticide poisoning were enrolled as study subjects and divided into moderate organophosphate pesticide poisoning group (40 patients) , severe organophosphate pesticide poisoning group (40 patients) , abamectin pesticide poisoning group (40 patients) , and paraquat poisoning group (40 patients). A total of 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled as the control group. All the patients with poisoning received conventional treatment of pesticide poisoning immediately after admission, and serum presepsin concentration was measured on days 1 (within 24 hours after poisoning) , 3, and 7 of admission, and biochemical and radiological parameters related to the patient's condition were also examined. The patients with a Presepsin concentration of >800 pg/ml on day 1 of admission were randomly divided into conventional treatment group and ulinastatin treatment group, and the treatment outcome was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy control group, the groups with pesticide poisoning showed significant increases in serum Presepsin concentrations, with the highest degree of increase on day 1 (P <0.05). The serum Presepsin concentration was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, creatine kinase MB, lactate dehydrogenase, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, interleukin-18, and white blood cell count, but negatively correlated with cholinesterase. In the conventional treatment group and ulinastatin treatment group, the overall response rate was 68% and 78.8%, respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). In 40 patients with paraquat poisoning, 32 experienced an increase in serum presepsin concentration, and among these 32 patients, 27 (83%) experienced exudation on lung CT. CONCLUSION: Serum Presepsin concentration measurement can assist early diagnosis, evaluation of disease severity, and guidance for clinical medication in patients with pesticide poisoning, especially in those with severe pesticide poisoning and a tendency to multiple organ failure.

Biaxial crystal α-BaTeMo(2)O(9): theory study of large birefringence and wide-band polarized prisms design.

α-BaTeMo(2)O(9) is a novel biaxial crystal with wide-band transmittance spectrum. The refractive index dispersion curves and birefringence of the α-BaTeMo(2)O(9) crystal were obtained in spectral range of 0.4~5 µm. The origin of the birefringence for the crystal has been calculated and interpreted on the basis of the crystal structure combined with theoretical studies. The polarized directions and formulations of refractive index of optical waves in biaxial α-BaTeMo(2)O(9) were investigated by solving the refractive index ellipsoid equations. Furthermore, polarized prisms based on the α-BaTeMo(2)O(9) crystal used in spectral ranges of 0.4~2.7 µm and 0.48~4.5 µm were designed and characterized. The extinction ratios of both prisms were determined to be larger than 10000:1, which would satisfy the practical requirements. The impacts on extinction ratio for biaxial and uniaxial crystals were also discussed. To our knowledge, it is the first report about biaxial crystals for the polarized prisms, and the results show that the α-BaTeMo(2)O(9) crystal is a promising material for polarized optical components, especially in the range of 3~5 µm.

High-quality, single-layered epitaxial graphene fabricated on 6H-SiC (0001) by flash annealing in Pb atmosphere and mechanism.

High-quality epitaxial graphene is produced on silicon carbide by flash annealing of 6H-SiC in a lead (Pb) atmosphere at ∼1400 °C for 30 s. Nearly three top bilayers of SiC are decomposed due to fast heating and cooling, and sublimation of Si atoms from SiC is retarded by the Pb atmosphere. The synergetic effects promote the growth of continuous single-layered graphene sheets on the SiC terraces, and a model is established to elucidate the effects and growth mechanism.

ORMDL3 variants associated with bronchiolitis susceptibility in a Chinese population.

Recent studies revealed common genetic risks for both viral bronchiolitis and asthma. Genome-wide association studies revealed that rs7216389 in the ORMDL3 gene is associated with childhood asthma. We conducted a case-control study examining the associations between ORMDL3 polymorphisms (rs7216389, rs12603332, and rs11650680) and bronchiolitis susceptibility/viral findings among 247 infant bronchiolitis cases and 190 healthy controls. We genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and detected respiratory viruses with multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Only the genotype and allele frequencies of rs7216389 significantly differed between bronchiolitis and controls. The frequencies of the TT homozygote and the T allele of rs7216389 were significantly higher in the bronchiolitis patients (P = 0.0325; P = 0.0089, respectively). Polymorphisms were not associated with bronchiolitis severity. Cases were further stratified by viral infection, but no significant differences in the ORMDL3 genotype between the virus-detected group (e.g., respiratory syncytial virus alone, respiratory virus alone, virus detected) and no-virus-detected group were observed. Bronchiolitis is associated with the ORMDL3 gene in Chinese children, and there were no significant associations between genetic variations and disease severity or respiratory viruses. The TT homozygote and the T allele of rs7216389 in ORMDL3 increased bronchiolitis risk. The rs7216389 polymorphism may be a predictor for identifying infants with predisposition to virus-induced wheezing to persistent asthma.

Superoxide dismutase recombinant Lactobacillus fermentum ameliorates intestinal oxidative stress through inhibiting NF-κB activation in a trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid-induced colitis mouse model.

AIMS: Superoxide dismutase (SOD) can prevent and cure inflammatory bowel diseases by decreasing the amount of reactive oxygen species. Unfortunately, short half-life of SOD in the gastrointestinal tract limited its application in the intestinal tract. This study aimed to investigate the treatment effects of recombinant SOD Lactobacillus fermentum in a colitis mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we expressed the sodA gene in Lact. fermentum I5007 to obtain the SOD recombinant strain. Then, we determined the therapeutic effects of this SOD recombinant strain in a trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis mouse model. We found that SOD activity in the recombinant Lact. fermentum was increased by almost eightfold compared with that in the wild type. Additionally, both the wild type and the recombinant Lact. fermentum increased the numbers of lactobacilli in the colon of mice (P < 0·05). Colitis mice treated with recombinant Lact. fermentum showed a higher survival rate and lower disease activity index (P < 0·05). Recombinant Lact. fermentum significantly decreased colonic mucosa histological scoring for infiltration of inflammatory cells, lipid peroxidation, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and myeloperoxidase (P < 0·05) and inhibited NF-κB activity in colitis mice (P < 0·05). CONCLUSIONS: SOD recombinant Lact. fermentum significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammation through inhibiting NF-κB activation in the TNBS-induced colitis model. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study provides insights into the anti-inflammatory effects of SOD recombinant Lact. fermentum, indicating the potential therapeutic effects in preventing and curing intestinal bowel diseases.

Protective effect of an egg yolk-derived immunoglobulin (IgY) against Prevotella intermedia-mediated gingivitis.

AIMS: To investigate the effects of an egg yolk-derived immunoglobulin (IgY) specific to Prevotella intermedia in vitro and in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS: An IgY specific to P. intermedia was produced by immunizing hens with formaldehyde-inactivated P. intermedia and showed high titres when subjected to an ELISA. The obtained IgY inhibited the growth of P. intermedia in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations from 1 to 20 mg ml(-1) in Center for Disease Control and Prevention liquid medium. Forty rats were challenged with P. intermedia on gingivae and then randomly divided into four groups, which were syringed respectively with phosphate-buffered saline, 1 mg ml(-1) of tinidazole, 20 mg ml(-1) of nonspecific IgY and 20 mg ml(-1) of the IgY specific to P. intermedia at a dosage of 300 µl per day. Gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), counts of white blood cell (WBC) and histopathological slide of the gums were measured after treatment for 15 days. The gingivitis rats treated with the IgY specific to P. intermedia showed significantly decreased GI, PI, BOP and WBC (P < 0·05). Gum histopathology of the treated rats demonstrated a superior protective effect of the specific IgY on P. intermedia-mediated gingivitis. CONCLUSIONS: A new immunoglobulin specific to P. intermedia was developed from egg yolk. This specific IgY can dose-dependently inhibit the growth of P. intermedia and protect rats from gingivitis induced by P. intermedia. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The new IgY has potential for the treatment of P. intermedia-mediated gingivitis.

Fermentation conditions influence the fatty acid composition of the membranes of Lactobacillus reuteri I5007 and its survival following freeze-drying.

Lactobacillus reuteri I5007 has well-documented adhesion properties and health benefits. Future industrial use of Lact. reuteri I5007 will require the development of effective fermentation procedures and high bacterial survival following drying. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the impact of altering fermentation pH and temperature on the fatty acid composition of the bacterial membranes and subsequent survival of Lact. reuteri I5007 following freeze-drying. Initially, a response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal fermentation pH (5·7) and temperature (37°C), with regard to producing the maximum number of Lact. reuteti I5007 cells. However, when subjected to the optimal fermentation pH and temperature (control treatment), the subsequent survival of Lact. reuteri I5007 following freeze-drying was only 12·95%. Growth at a higher temperature (47°C) or at a neutral pH (pH 6·7) significantly increased the survival of Lact. reuteri I5007 following freeze-drying compared with the control. In contrast, an acidic pH (pH 4·7), or cold (27°C) and extremely cold (4°C) temperatures during fermentation significantly reduced Lact. reuteri I5007 survival following freeze-drying. The fatty acid composition of the membranes of Lact. reuteri I5007 was altered by the different fermentation conditions tested. An increase in the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) to saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the bacterial membrane was associated with higher survival of Lact. reuteri I5007. In conclusion, it appears that the use of a higher temperature (47°C) or neutral pH (6·7) during fermentation resulted in increased survival of Lact. reuteri I5007 following freeze-drying. Significance and impact of the study: In this study, we found that a higher fermentation temperature or a neutral pH, rather than cold or acidic conditions, leads to increased survival of Lact. reuteri I5007 during subsequent freeze-drying. This finding has important implications for the future industrial production of this probiotic strain.