As future healthcare professionals, Master of Nursing Specialist (MNS) students will play an important role in nursing and healthcare. MNS education emphasises the cultivation of students' critical and clinical thinking. Traditional classroom methods often result in students being unable to combine theory with practice and reduce their ability to problem-solve within the scope of clinical or professional services. However, in economically underdeveloped areas with insufficient educational resources, it is difficult to use real clinical situations or virtual reality technology to carry out teaching. To fill this gap, we introduced the digital story teaching method into classroom teaching in Shanxi Province in northern China, which is an economically underdeveloped agricultural province. Real clinical cases were adapted into stories, with integrated digital media elements. A before-and-after study design was adopted to compare the differences between the digital story teaching method group and the traditional teaching method group. The results indicate that students engaged in learning with the digital story teaching method demonstrated more active learning styles, clinical problem-solving skills, and higher academic achievements in classroom performance and examinations. As a continuous and low-cost flexible education method, the digital story teaching method is a teaching mode suitable for popularisation in areas where clinical teaching resources are relatively scarce.

Abstract The milk-clotting enzyme (MCE) produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GSBa-1 achieved the scale-up criterion from 0.25-L erlenmeyer flask to 5-L bioreactor sucessfully and exhibited remarkable milk-clotting activity (MCA) (626.3 SU/mL) that was 1.45-fold higher than the control by optimizing both medium composition and fermentation conditions.The growth of GSBa-1 was optimized through response surface methodology employing Plackett-Burman design and Box-Behnken design. The final optimized fermentation conditions were as follows: maltose (7.258g/L), corn steep liquor (8.15g/L), and Tween 80 (1.97g/L); constant fermentation pH (7.0), temperature (45 °C) and stirrer speed (200 rpm). Kinetic models of microbial growth (X), product formation (P), and substrate consumption (S) were constructed, respectively. The derived model was the first reported model for GSBa-1 rennet production, contributing visual description for the rennet fermentation process, as well as the improvement of its productivity and efficiency.

ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the grain yield and agronomic traits of inbred and hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) ‘Yuxiangyouzhan’ and ‘Shenliangyou 58 xiangyouzhan’ at 11 different planting sites during 2013-2017 in Southern China. The grain yield, growth period, panicle number m-2, productive tiller percentage, plant height, panicle length, grain number per panicle, filled grain number per panicle, filled grain percentage, and grain weight were evaluated. Results indicated that ‘Shenliangyou 58 xiangyouzhan’ produced higher grain yields than ‘Yuxiangyouzhan’ which was attributed to high grain weight and panicle length. Grain yield showed an increasing trend during 2013-2017 and the yield gaps among different years were attributed to differences in plant height, filled grain percentage and grain weight. The differences in grain yield among sites were mostly due to the combination effect of the agronomic traits which was greatly affected by the different climate conditions. The grain yield was significantly and positively correlated with the plant height, grain number m-2, filled grain number per panicle, filled grain percentage and grain weight. Moreover, principal components analysis (PCA) suggested that grain number per panicle and filled grain number per panicle are critical parameters attributed to grain productivity. Therefore, flowering and post-flowering stage is the most critical in this regard to improve the grain number and filled grain number per panicle to get better yields in the agro-climatic conditions of southern China.

Abstract As the demand for probiotic foods continues to increase and lactose intolerance is common, it is necessary to develop a range of non-milk probiotic beverages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preparation process of fermented probiotic beverages using various vegetables as raw materials, and to evaluate the chemical and organoleptic properties of the mixed fermented vegetable juices. The mixed fermented vegetable juice was a beverage obtained by mixing the vegetable juice (purple cabbage, tomato and carrot) fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum and the yam juice fermented by the yeast in an appropriate ratio. During lactobacillus fermentation (48 hours at 30 °C), the cell count of Lactobacillus plantarum increased from 7.49 ± 0.21 log CFU/mL to 9.13 ± 0.19 log CFU/mL (p < 0.05), the glucose decreased from 8.924 g/L to 5.528 g/L, and the pH decreased from 5.03 to 3.62. Oxidation activity slightly decreased. The lactic acid and titratable acid/total acid content increased, and the trend of change was similar. During the yeast fermentation (28 °C, 24h), the glucose was almost depleted and ethanol was accumulated. GC-MS analysis showed that microbial fermentation had a significant effect on volatile components. The sensory evaluation results showed that the proper mixing of fermented vegetable juice and fermented yam juice had a significant increase in taste, odor and overall acceptance of the product. The mixed fermented vegetable juice has the potential to adapt to the consumer groups and has in-depth research value.

ABSTRACT A dinuclear ruthenium complex [Ru2(bpy)4(bip-phenol)](ClO4)4 {bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, bip-phenol = 2,4-bis(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthrolin-2-yl)phenol} has been synthesized and characterized. The calf thymus (ct) DNA binding properties of the complex are investigated by means of DNA viscosity and optical spectroscopic techniques of UV-visible absorption and emission spectral titrations, steady-state emission quenching with ferrocyanide, ethidium bromide competitive binding, DNA thermal denaturation and reverse salt effect, together with molecular simulation technology. The results suggest that the complex is a promising DNA groove binder with a large DNA binding constant on 106 M−1 order of magnitude. The fluorescence of the complex manifests by 6.3-fold upon binding saturately to DNA. The complex is also demonstrated to be an efficient photocleaver of pBR 322 DNA.

Background Aspergillus niger has the ability to secrete feruloyl esterase. However, for economically viable industrial applications, it is necessary to increase their catalytic activities and/or protein yields to satisfy the increasing needs for feruloyl esterases. Results The gene AnFaeA that encodes a type A feruloyl esterase was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris by a two-copy engineered yeast. After a screen in shaker flask, a one-copy strain GSKFA3 having the highest feruloyl esterase activity of 2.4 U/mL was obtained. Then, the pPICZaA-AnFaeA plasmid was transformed into GSKFA3 and the transformants were grown on YPDS plates with antibiotic Zeocin. After cultivation, a two-copy strain GSKZaFA20 with the highest feruloyl esterase activity of 15.49 U/mL was obtained. The expressed protein (recombinant AnFaeA) may be a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 40 kDa. It displayed the maximum activity at pH 6.0 and 50°C, and was stable at a pH range of 4.0-6.5 and at below 45°C. Its activity was not significantly affected by K+, Ca2 +, Mg2 +, Cu2 +, Zn2 +, Mn2 +, Na+ and EDTA, but activated by Fe2 +. The Km and Vmax toward 4-nitrophenyl ferulate were 5.5 mM and 69.0 U/mg, respectively. Conclusions The two-copy strain GSKZaFA20 showed a 4.4-fold increase in extracellular enzyme activity compared with the one-copy strain GSKFA3. Construction of two-copy strain improved secretion of recombinant AnFaeA in P. pastoris.

Advanced combustion modes such as Controlled Auto-Ignition or Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition have been under much attention due to their ability to reduce both emissions and fuel consumption. Thus, this paper aims at demonstrating the achievement of Controlled Auto-Ignition combustion on a standard 4-cylinder gasoline engine with negative valve overlap (NVO) and analyzing its performance and emissions. The engine remained with substantially original components. The only major modification was the replacement of the camshafts for a new set of bespoke ones. The results showed a fair range of load and speed under CAI combustion with reduced brake specific consumption and ultra-low levels of NOx emissions. CO was also reduced, while HC emissions showed increased values. The results also point out some of the drawbacks of CAI combustion and the technological challenges of this advanced combustion process.