Abstract In this paper, the penetration resistance of 6061 aluminum plates to explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) at the incidence angles of 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45° was studied. The penetration process was roughly divided into three typical stages—the plastic flanging stage of the target, the righting stage of the projectile, and the plug formation stage of the target. Through the energy analysis, the energy consumption of the aluminum plate increased with the increase in the incidence angle during the entire penetration process. Through the microscopic analysis of the perforated wall surface of the aluminum plate, it was found that there were distinct boundaries and differences between the plastic reaming zone and the punching plug fracture zone.. Overall, four kinds of classification modes were proposed for the damage of the aftereffect plate, which provides a method to evaluate the aftereffect of EFP oblique penetration into 6061 aluminum plates.

Abstract In recent years, the market has great demand for the instant quinoa. However, the high content of protein and fat in quinoa grain inhibited the gelatinization and extension of starch molecules. The instant quinoa prepared by conventional gelatinization method has poor rehydration. In order to solve this problem, the sectioned heating method was used according to the properties of quinoa starch and protein. The purpose of the first heating stage was to gelatinize the starch with sufficient water, and the technological conditions were: the mass ratio of water to quinoa 4:1, the temperature of water bath 70 °C, the time of water bath 60 min. The purpose of the second heating stage was to denature the protein with less water, and the technological condition was that the quinoa was heated by atmospheric steam for 5 min. The instant quinoa prepared by above method had excellent rehydration. Compared to the raw quinoa, the content of protein, fat and reducing sugar in instant quinoa increased slightly, while the content of starch and polyphenols decreased slightly. The mass loss percentage of instant quinoa was 11.5% and the score of sensory evaluation for the sample prepared under the optimum conditions was 87.

Abstract: Quinoa has been recognized as the sole “comprehensive nutritional crop”; however, it is susceptible to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS). While quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has been extensively employed for gene expression level detection, the selection of suitable reference genes is imperative to ensure precise gene expression quantification across diverse conditions. This study aims to identify stable reference genes in quinoa seeds under ABA and GA, in order to provide a basis for subsequent research on PHS. Seeds were subjected to different concentrations of ABA and GA (10 μM, 50 μM, 100 μM, and 200 μM). The most suitable treatment concentration was determined based on seed viability. Here, MON1, GAPDH, EIF3, EF1α, ACT, TUB1, and TUB6 were selected as candidate genes. The suitability of these reference genes under different conditions was assessed using various methods including Ct values, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Delta Ct, and RefFinder. Based on the results obtained from the hormone experiments, it was observed that the application of 100 μM ABA and 200 μM GA yielded the most advantageous outcomes. Additionally, the most appropriate reference genes for different treatments are ACT and TUB1 (H2O treatment), EIF3 and MON1 (ABA, GA treatment and also for the combined data set of the three groups). However, GAPDH exhibited the least stability across all treatments. In summary, ACT is recommended as the reference gene for natural quinoa germination, while EIF3 and MON1 should be used for ABA and GA treatments.

Resumo: A quinoa foi reconhecida como a única “cultura nutricional abrangente”; no entanto, é suscetível à germinação na pré-colheita (BHS). Embora a reação em cadeia da polimerase com transcrição reversa quantitativa (RT-qPCR) tenha sido amplamente empregada para detecção do nível de expressão gênica, a seleção de genes de referência adequados é essencial para garantir a quantificação precisa da expressão gênica em diversas condições. Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar genes de referência estáveis em sementes de quinoa tratadas com ABA e GA, a fim de fornecer uma base para pesquisas subsequentes em BPC. As sementes foram submetidas a diferentes concentrações de ABA e GA (10 μM, 50 μM, 100 μM e 200 μM). A concentração de tratamento mais adequada foi determinada com base na viabilidade das sementes. MON1, GAPDH, EIF3, EF1α, ACT, TUB1 e TUB6 foram selecionados como genes candidatos. A adequação destes genes de referência sob diferentes condições foi avaliada utilizando vários métodos, incluindo valores Ct, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Delta Ct e RefFinder. Com base nos resultados obtidos nos experimentos com hormônios, observou-se que a aplicação de 100 μM de ABA e 200 μM de GA produziu os resultados mais vantajosos. Além disso, os genes de referência mais apropriados para diferentes tratamentos são ACT e TUB1 (tratamento com H2O), EIF3 e MON1 (tratamento com ABA, GA e para o conjunto de dados combinados dos três grupos). No entanto, o GAPDH exibiu a menor estabilidade em todos os tratamentos. Em resumo, o ACT é recomendado como gene de referência para a germinação natural da quinoa, enquanto o EIF3 e o MON1 devem ser utilizados para os tratamentos com ABA e GA.

Acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a critical respiratory syndrome with limited effective interventions. Lung macrophages play a critical role in the pathogenesis of abnormal inflammatory response in the syndrome. Recently, impaired fatty acid oxidation (FAO), one of the key lipid metabolic signalings, was found to participate in the onset and development of various lung diseases, including ALI/ARDS. Lipid/fatty acid contents within mouse lungs were quantified using the Oil Red O staining. The protective effect of FAO activator L-carnitine (Lca, 50, 500, or 5 mg/mL) was evaluated by cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), ELISA, immunoblotting, fluorescence imaging, and fluorescence plate reader detection in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 ng/mL)-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages. The in vivo efficacy of Lca (300 mg/kg) was determined in a 10 mg/kg LPS-induced ALI mouse model. We found for the first time that lipid accumulation in pulmonary macrophages was significantly increased in a classical ALI murine model, which indicated disrupted FAO induced by LPS. Lca showed potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects on THP-1 derived macrophages upon LPS stimulation. Mechanistically, Lca was able to maintain FAO, mitochondrial activity, and ameliorate mitochondrial dynamics. In the LPS-induced ALI mouse model, we further discovered that Lca inhibited neutrophilic inflammation and decreased diffuse damage, which might be due to the preservation of mitochondrial homeostasis. These results broadened our understanding of ALI/ARDS pathogenesis and provided a promising drug candidate for this syndrome.

Abstract Current evidence showed that parthenolide (PN) has strong anti-inflammatory activity, but its effect on diabetic nephropathy (DN) is still unclear. In this research, high glucose (HG)-induced MPC5 cells were incubated with 5, 10 or 20 μM PN, and we found that PN incubation improved HG-induced MPC5 cells viability and apoptosis, ROS level, LDH activity and the secretion of inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β), and inhibited the expression of DNMT1 protein, and promoted the expression of VDR, p-AKT, nephrin and podocin proteins. Lentivirus-mediated VDR overexpression vector (LV-VDR) transfection had the same effect, and LV-DNMT1 or si-VDR transfection or 100 nM AKT inhibitor MK2206 incubation reversed the effect of PN on cell functions. Research on the mechanism found that PN reduced the level of VDR methylation by reducing the enrichment of DNTM1 in the VDR promoter region under high glucose condition. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally to construct a DN mouse model, and 5mg/kg PN was administered intraperitoneally every other day. The results showed that PN treatment improved glomerular hypertrophy and renal fibrosis in STZ-induced mice. In general, PN regulated DNTM1-mediated VDR methylation, activated AKT, and alleviated DN.

Abstract To perform dermatoglyphics analysis and to explore the possible relationships between dermatoglyphic characteristics and sports level of Chinese table tennis players. A total of 92 Chinese professional table tennis players were recruited and divided into ordinary group and excellent group according to their levels. Their dermatoglyphic patterns on the palms and fingers were collected and statistically analyzed. Our results showed that the data revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the ordinary group and the excellent group in terms of atd angle, thenar eminence, total number of a-b ridges and double loop whorl, while no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in concentric whorl, arch pattern and loop pattern. In conclusion, these findings may provide experimental evidence for the application of dermatoglyphic analysis as a tool for future selection of elite table tennis players.

Abstract A summarized physicochemical profile of nine multifloral honeys produced by Apis cerana cerana Fabricius in Qiongzhong region located in Hainan province was exhibited, regarding pH (3.72-4.02), moisture (19.20-22.53%), fructose (34.40-38.70 g 100 g-1), glucose (31.60-35.05 g 100 g-1), sucrose (less than 3%), color (31.00-80.00 mm Pfund), ash content (0.17-0.45 g 100 g-1), soluble solid (75.87-79.10 ◦Brix), and electrical conductivity (343.67-678.33 μS cm-1). Potassium showed the highest concentration, followed by calcium. Manganese, boron, iron, aluminium, and zinc were the main micro-elements while cadmium and hydrargyrum were not detected in all honey samples. The antiradical activity was shown to be significantly negative correlated with total phenolic content (TPC) (r2 = −0.756) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (r2 = −0.477). Among all tested honey samples, sample A exhibited the highest levels of TPC (45.46 mg GAE 100 g-1), TFC (10.02 mg RE 100 g-1), and antiradical activity (DPPH IC50 = 2.63 mg mL-1). Our results will be useful in determining to set the standard for A. cerana cerana honey.

Abstract In this study, through animal experiments, we investigated the effects of Qingli Gandan decoction on the IL-23/IL-17 signalling pathway and the expression of CD4+/IL-17A+ cells in EAU rats. We then predicted the potential mechanisms of the action. First, Lewis rats were divided using the random number table method into a (1) control group, (2) model group and (3) TCM group. The TCM group was given a Qingli Gandan prescription by gavage after an intervention model. Next, blood, aqueous humour and vitreous were collected from each group on days 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 after immunisation. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the protein concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in a serum, aqueous humour and vitreous of rats on different immunisation days, and the percentage of CD4+/IL-17A+ cells in rat spleen was detected by flow cytometry. The peak concentration of serum IL-17 protein in group 3 was statistically lower than that in group 2 (P < 0.05) on days 4, 8 and 12 of immunisation. However, the peak concentration of serum IL-23 protein in group 3 was statistically lower than in group 2 (P < 0.05) on days 8 and 12 of immunisation; in addition, on days 8 and 12, the protein concentrations of IL-23 and IL-17 in the aqueous humour group 3 were all lower than those in group 2. On days 4, 8 and 12, the protein concentrations of IL-23 and IL-17 in vitreous in group 3 were significantly lower than those in group 2. We found that the proportion of CD4+/IL-17A+ cells in the groups 2 and 3 increased on day 8 compared with group 1 (P < 0.05). The proportion of CD4+/IL-17A+ cells decreased in group 3 compared with group 2 (P < 0.05).At last, we think Qingli Gandan can reduce the onset of EAU in rats and treat it, presumably because of inhibiting the IL-23/IL-17 axis. It may inhibit the expression of CD4+/IL-17A+ cells and play a role in inhibiting the IL-23/IL-17 signalling pathway.

Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the intestine, demonstrating an increasing incidence every year. TongXieYaoFang (TXYF) has been used widely in China as a complementary therapy to relieve the symptoms of IBD for hundreds of years. In the present research, a network pharmacology-based approach was used to systematically explore the intrinsic mechanisms of TXYF in IBD at the molecular level. Network pharmacology-based methods, which mainly included database mining, screening of bioactive compounds, target prediction, collection of IBD-related targets, gene enrichment analysis, network construction, and molecular docking, were employed in the present study. Network analysis revealed a total of 108 potential targets derived from 22 component compounds of TXYF, among which 34 targets were common with the IBD-related targets. In the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, 10 key targets were identified. The gene enrichment analysis suggested that anti-inflammatory processes, such as NF-kappa B signaling pathway and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, could be the core processes involved in the action of TXYF in IBD. Molecular docking results revealed that three compounds present in TXYF exhibited strong binding affinity for PTGS2. The present study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms and network approaches of TXYF action in IBD from a systemic perspective. The potential targets and pathways identified in the present study would assist in further research on the clinical application of TXYF in IBD therapy.

ABSTRACT In coastal areas of Bohai Bay, China, marine sediments were used for land reclamation. However, vegetation cannot grow well on the reclaimed land because marine sediments have different ecological functions than soil. Changing marine sediment into soil rapidly and accelerating the soil-forming process is key to solving this ecological problem on reclaimed land. Therefore, in this study, we not only measured the chemical properties of marine sediments during an 8 yr soil formation period to explore fertility changes, but we also used MiSeq sequencing to analyze and compare the bacterial community structure and diversity before and after the 8 yr land reclamation. Our results showed: (1) Marine sediment changed from severe to mild salinization during the 8 yr of soil formation, and the sediment salinity decreased significantly to 7.3 g kg-1 (p < 0.05). However, pH of the sediment was always > 8.5 and did not change significantly. In addition, the total fertility of the sediment decreased significantly after 8 yr. Especially, the content of nitrate-N in marine sediment decreased significantly by 86.23% (p < 0.05) after 8 yr of soil formation. Also, the content of available P and soil organic matter decreased significantly by 45.92% and 26.22%, respectively. (2) The total abundance of bacteria increased while the community diversity decreased after the sediments were removed from the ocean environment for 8 yr. The bacterial community composition changed, and results of our redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the change was mainly affected by pH, soil contents including, available P, nitrate-N, ammonia-N, Na+, and Cl-, as well as salinity.

OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive paracentetic suprapubic cystostomy is a technique that should be learned by all surgical trainees and residents. This study aimed to develop a self-made training model for paracentetic suprapubic cystostomy and placement of the suprapubic catheter and then to evaluate its effectiveness in training fourth-year medical students. METHODS: Medical students were divided into an experimental group receiving comprehensive training involving literature, video, and model use and a control group receiving all the same training protocols as the experimental group except without hands-on practice using the model. Each student’s performance was video-recorded, followed by subjective and objective evaluations by urology experts and statistical analysis. RESULTS: All students completed the surgical procedures successfully. The experimental group’s performance scores were significantly higher than those of the control group (median final performance scores of 91.0 vs. 86.8, respectively). Excellent scores were achieved by more students in the experimental group than in the control group (55% vs. 20%), and fewer poor scores were observed in the experimental group than in the control group (5% vs. 30%). CONCLUSIONS: Based on its cost-effectiveness, reusability, and training effectiveness, this paracentetic suprapubic cystostomy training model is able to achieve goals in teaching practice quickly and easily. Use of the model should be encouraged for training senior medical students and resident physicians who may be expected to perform emergent suprapubic catheter insertion at some time.

Abstract To study the hepatoprotective effect of the essential oil of Artemisia capillaris Thunb., Asteraceae, on CCl4-induced liver injury in mice, the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, hepatic levels of reduced glutathione, activity of glutathione peroxidase, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were assayed. Administration of the essential oil of A. capillaris at 100 and 50 mg/kg to mice prior to CCl4 injection was shown to confer stronger in vivo protective effects and could observably antagonize the CCl4-induced increase in the serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities and malondialdehyde levels as well as prevent CCl4-induced decrease in the antioxidant superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione level and glutathione peroxidase activity (p < 0.01). The oil mainly contained β-citronellol, 1,8-cineole, camphor, linalool, α-pinene, β-pinene, thymol and myrcene. This finding demonstrates that the essential oil of A. capillaris can protect hepatic function against CCl4-induced liver injury in mice.

Abstract The effects of oil-water mixed frying (OWF) and pure-oil frying (POF) on changes in quality characteristics of soybean oil and chicken chop during six days of frying were comparatively investigated. The results showed that the changes in specific extinction coefficients, p-anisidine value, carbonyl value, viscosity and color of soybean oil were more pronounced in the case of POF, indicating that oil oxidative and polymeric degradation was retarded by OWF. Concerning fat content of chicken chop, lower (p<0.05) values were observed in the last three days in the case of OWF than POF. Meanwhile, OWF led to lower acrylamide formation in chops during the six days. Sensory evaluation showed that OWF provided chops with five attributes similar to those of chops fried by POF on the first day. As frying days increased, the decreases in scores for color, odor, flavor and overall acceptability were less in the case of OWF. In conclusion, OWF could be a worthwhile alternative for retarding oil deterioration and producing healthier and higher quality fried meat products.

AbstractThe combined effects of tumbling marination methods (Vacuum continuous tumbling marination, CT; Vacuum intermittent tumbling marination, IT) and effective tumbling time (4, 6, 8 and 10 h) on quality characteristics of prepared boneless pork chops were investigated. The results showed that regardless of tumbling time, CT method significantly increased the pH, product yield, cohesiveness, resilience, sensory tenderness and overall flavor (p<0.05) compared with IT method, and CT method also significantly decreased the pressing loss, cooking loss, shear force value (SFV), hardness and chewiness (p<0.05) compared with IT method. With the effective tumbling time increasing from 4 h to 10 h, the product yield and sensory attributes of prepared pork chops increased at first and then decreased, whereas the pressing loss, cooking loss, SFV, hardness and chewiness decreased at first and then increased. Additionally, an interaction between CT method and effective tumbling time was also observed. These results suggested that CT method of 8 h obtained the best quality characteristics of prepared pork chops, which should be adopted.

The relationship between endogenous ethylene production and natural defoliation rate was examined in sugarcane cultivars with different natural defoliation traits. Ethylene production was examined at different positions on leaf sheaths and leaf scars at various sugarcane maturation stages using gas chromatography as an external standard method. During the sugarcane maturation process, ethylene production was greatest in the 2nd leaf sheath scar, followed by the 5th and 10th, in that order. It was also greatest during the early maturation stage, followed by the mid-maturation and harvest stages. Ethylene production of the leaf sheaths and leaf scars differed significantly among the sugarcane cultivars. Cultivars that defoliate easily produced significantly more ethylene than those that do not defoliate easily. The natural defoliation rates was greatest in the harvest stage, followed by mid-maturation and early maturation stage. Correlation analysis indicated that ethylene production was positively correlated with natural defoliation rates, particularly during early- and mid-maturation stages.