Quantification of Chinese yam processing methods based on pyrolysis characteristics and its relation to Maillard reaction

Objective: Chinese yam (Shanyao in Chinese, SY) as one of the representatives for Chinese medicines can be used as both of medicine and food with rich nutritional and medicinal value. Most of Chinese herbal medicines need to be processed prior to be used in clinical practice. SY was divided into Maoshanyao (Hairy Shanyao, MSY) and Guangshanyao (Smooth Shanyao, GSY) based on different processing methods at the place of origin, and it also could be processed as stir-fried SY and bran stir-fried SY to meet the different clinical use. Moreover, during the processing of Chinese herbal medicines, more complicated Maillard reaction occurs compared to food processing. Therefore, the objective of this research is to quantify the firepower of SY processing, and combined this with the relevant parameters of Maillard reaction. Methods: The MSY and GSY produced in Shanxi and Henan Provinces were chosen as the research objects. By using thermal analysis technology, we first established the correlation between pyrolysis and processing of SY and its mixtures. We also quantified the firepower of Shaoyao processing, and combined this with the relevant parameters of Maillard reaction (pH value, amino acid, and 5-HMF) and the changes in medicinal ingredients (Allantoin). Results: The SY was mainly fried with moderate-fire (190?200 °C), and the starting temperatures of different SY–ingredient mixtures were (176.3 ± 5.33) °C for (honey) bran, and (205.9 ± 8.05) °C for rice. The upper limits of processing temperature were (289.9 ± 6.47) °C for (honey) bran and (298.9 ± 1.15) °C for rice. The cooking time was (10.80 ± 1.76) min for soil stir-fry, (10.31 ± 1.06) min for bran stir-fry, and (8.43 ± 0.68) min for rice stir-fry. Moreover, the pH values and the content of 5-HMF were increased (P < 0.001), while the glycine content was decreased significantly (P < 0.001) after processing. Conclusion: The results verified and quantified the firepower of traditional processing of SY, and also provided scientific reference for other studies related to SY processing.     

Exploring how the LR of a POI in a target sample is impacted by awareness of the profile of the background derived from an area adjacent to the target sample

DNA unrelated to an action of interest (background DNA) is routinely collected when sampling an area for DNA that may have originated from an action of interest. Background DNA can add to the complexity of a recovered DNA profile and could impact the discrimination power when comparing it to the reference profile of a person of interest. Recent advances in probabilistic genotyping and the development of new tools, now allow for the comparison of multiple evidentiary profiles to query for a common DNA donor. Here, we explore the additional discrimination power that can be gained by having an awareness of the background DNA present on a surface prior to the deposition of target DNA. Samples with varying number of contributors and DNA quantities were generated on cleaned plastic pipes (where ground truth was known) and items used by occupants of a single household (where ground truth was not known). The background consisted of deposits made by hands (touch) while target deposits were both touch and saliva. Samples were collected from areas consisting of only the background (A), the target and the background directly beneath it (B), and the target and additional surrounding background (B+C). Samples B and B+C yielded similar DNA amounts when the target consisted of saliva, but when the target consisted of touch, significantly more DNA was recovered from B+C. Subsequently generated DNA profiles were interpreted using STRmix™ and DBLR™. The first approach involved no conditioning while the second approach involved conditioning on the reference profiles of the known background DNA donors. The third approach involved conditioning on one common DNA donor between A and B or A and B+C. The fourth and final approach involved conditioning on two common DNA donors between A and B or A and B+C. As more information was applied to the analysis, the greater the increase in the LR for the comparison of the target sample to the POI. Conditioning on two common donors between the target and the background provided almost the same amount of information as conditioning on the references of the known background DNA donors. This resulted in an increase in the LR that was over 10 orders of magnitude for known donors in the target sample. Here we have demonstrated the value in collecting additional background samples from an area adjacent to a targeted sample, and that this has the potential to improve discrimination power.     

A comparison of likelihood ratios with and without assuming relatedness for DNA mixtures interpreted using a continuous model

When evaluating support for the contribution of a person of interest (POI) to a mixed DNA sample, it is generally assumed that the mixture contributors are unrelated to the POI and to each other. In practice, there may be situations where this assumption is violated, for instance if two mixture contributors are siblings. The effect on the likelihood ratio of (in)correctly assuming relatedness between mixture contributors has previously been investigated using simulation studies based on simplified models ignoring peak heights. We revisit this problem using a simulation study that applies peak height models both in the simulation and mixture interpretation part of the study. Specifically, we sample sets of mixtures comprising both related and unrelated contributors and evaluate support for the contribution of the mixture donors as well as unrelated persons with and without incorporating an assumption of relatedness. The results show, consistent with earlier studies, that including a correct assumption of relatedness increases the capacity of the probabilistic genotyping system to distinguish between mixture donors and unrelated persons. Any effect of the relatedness is found to depend strongly on the mixture ratio. We further show that the results do not change materially when a sub-population correction is applied. Finally, we suggest and discuss a likelihood ratio approach that considers relatedness between mixture contributors using a prior probability.     

丹参注射液对大鼠脊髓损伤后Olig-2和OX-42表达的影响

目的:通过检测丹参注射液对大鼠脊髓损伤(SCI)后少突胶质细胞(Olig-2)和Ⅲ型补体受体(OX-42)系转录因子-2表达的影响,探讨其促进脊髓神经功能恢复的机制。方法:SPF大鼠50只随机分为正常组、模型组、丹参治疗组、丹参加雷帕霉素组和甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠组(n=10)。采用Allen's法建立SCI模型(正常组除外)后,模型组:腹腔注射生理盐水(1 m L·kg~(-1)),1次/d;丹参治疗组:腹腔注射丹参注射液(1 m L·kg~(-1)),1次/d;丹参加雷帕霉素组:腹腔注射同等剂量丹参注射液(含雷帕霉素3 mg·kg~(-1)),1次/d;甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠组:尾静脉推注甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠(30 mg·kg~(-1)),1次/d。伤后1,3,7,14 d时采用联合行为评分法(CBS)评价大鼠脊髓神经功能恢复情况。伤后14 d处死动物,采用免疫荧光和蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测各组大鼠脊髓内Olig-2和OX-42的表达。结果:至伤后14 d时,与模型组、丹参加雷帕霉素组比较,丹参治疗组和甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠组大鼠CBS评分显著降低(P0.05);与正常组比较,模型组大鼠Olig-2表达(免疫阳性细胞数及蛋白相对表达量)降低,而OX-42表达升高(P0.05);与模型组比较,丹参治疗组和甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠组Olig-2表达升高,而OX-42表达降低(P0.05);与丹参治疗组和甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠组比较,丹参加雷帕霉素组大鼠Olig-2表达降低,而OX-42表达升高(P0.05);上述指标在丹参治疗组和甲泼尼龙琥珀酸钠组之间的差异不具有统计学意义。结论:丹参注射液可通过升高磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(PI3K)/蛋白激酶B(Akt)/m TOR信号转导通路的活性以调节Olig-2和OX-42的表达,从而表明其参与大鼠脊髓神经功能恢复的机制可能与通过参与少突胶质细胞和小胶质细胞增殖有关。     

Phospholysine phosphohistidine inorganic pyrophosphate phosphatase suppresses human esophageal cancer cell growth by inducing mitotic catastrophe through the P27/cyclin A/CDK2 signaling pathway

Esophageal cancer (ESCA) is a global dead malignancy with poor prognosis. However, its underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. Phospholysine phosphohistidine inorganic pyrophosphate phosphatase (LHPP) has been reported as a tumor suppressor in multisystem cancer but its function in ESCA has not been reported. We analyzed LHPP expression between normal and tumor tissues of ESCA patients and performed LHPP overexpression on the ESCA cells KYSE-150 (K150). We did not observe significant differences in the expression level of LHPP between ESCA and normal tissue, and noticed that LHPP expression was not related to ESCA patient survival rate. However, increased expression of LHPP in K150 cells induced mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and cell cycle, and simultaneously increased cell apoptosis. Besides, we found that K150 cells underwent mitotic catastrophe after overexpressing LHPP, which may be regulated through the P27/cyclin A/cdk2 signaling pathway. Although the expression of LHPP may not be related to the progression and prognosis of ESCA, mitotic catastrophe, a new mechanism of tumor suppressor function of LHPP was found after overexpressing LHPP in ESCA cells.Data AvailabilityThe data used to support the findings of this study are included within the article.     

药用植物质量性状的分子研究进展＊

道地药材是指药用成分含量高、临床效果好且生长于特定产区的名优正品药材。优良的种质资源是道地药材形成的遗传因素，种质资源包含的特定基因是药材道地性形成的关键。本文详细阐述了当前药用植物道地性相关的质量性状的研究现状，并对标记开发、遗传图谱构建、相关性状数量性状位点（QTL）定位和转录组测序等技术在药用植物相关性状基因的挖掘以及药用植物基因工程应用现状进行了归纳总结，以期为提高药用植物种质资源的道地性研究提供参考。     

Prevalence and predictors of compassion satisfaction,secondary traumatic stress,and burnout among Chinese hospice nurses: A cross-sectional study

AimTo explore the prevalence and predictors of compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout among Chinese hospice nurses.BackgroundBecause of prolonged and continual contact with suffering, deaths, and grief, hospice nurses may be vulnerable to emotional burdens and have difficulty maintaining their professional quality of life.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 478 hospice nurses were selected from 24 medical institutions in Sichuan province. Demographic, work-related information and work-related trauma questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, the Chinese version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and the Chinese version of the Professional Quality of Life Scale for Nurses were used for collecting data.ResultsThe mean scores of compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout were 34.89 ± 6.21, 26.35 ± 5.24, and 24.49 ± 5.01, respectively. Job satisfaction, perspective-taking, empathic concern, working in tertiary hospitals, and adopting cognitive reappraisal strategy were positively associated with compassion satisfaction, while personal distress was a negative factor, all variables explaining 50.7 % of the variance. Higher burnout was found among nurse who had higher personal distress, worked in secondary or primary hospitals, worked >8 h per day and caring for >10 dying patients last month. In addition, job satisfaction, social support, perspective-taking, empathic concern, and cognitive reappraisal were identified as significant protectors, explaining 50.1 % of the variance. We also found that lower job satisfaction, higher personal distress, higher expressive suppression, lack of social support, senior nurses, and cared for >10 dying patients last month, were positively related to secondary traumatic stress. However, cognitive reappraisal had negative associations. These seven factors explained 32.0 % of the variance.ConclusionsHospice care has specific characteristics and hospice nurses may suffer from more work-related stressors compared with other nurses. Our study may provide clues to help nursing administrators identify hospice nurses who are at higher risk of compassion fatigue and design targeted interventions focused on potential risk factors and protectors to improve hospice nurses' compassion satisfaction, while reducing compassion fatigue.     

Protective effects of Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD on UVC radiation-induced damage in NIH/3T3 cells and murine skin

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an antioxidant enzyme with multiple metal cofactors that can specifically clear reactive oxygen species (ROS), which plays an important role in a variety of ultraviolet-induced lesions. Therefore, SOD has the anti-ultraviolet radiation effect. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the anti-ultraviolet radiation effect of SOD with distinct metal cofactors: Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD. SOD was first purified using hydrophobic interaction chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. Second, the Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide method and cell senescence kits were used to study the protective effect of SOD on ultraviolet-induced cell damage. Finally, the protective effect of SOD on ultraviolet -induced skin damage was histopathologically evaluated, and the expression levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in tissues were detected. The results showed that Cu/Zn-SOD was superior to Mn-SOD in promoting cell proliferation, alleviating cell damage, protecting skin structure, and regulating the expression levels of MDA and MMPs, and it has no side effects. In conclusion, Cu/Zn-SOD had a better anti-ultraviolet radiation effect than Mn-SOD, and it can be used in anti-aging and anti-ultraviolet skin-care products.