Abstract Objective The authors investigated the expression of IgG4 and IgG in cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman Disease (CRDD) to further improve the understanding of this disease. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological features of 23 CRDD patients. The authors diagnosed CRDD by the presence of emperipolesis and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of histiocytes consisting of S-100(+)/CD68(+)/CD1a(-) cells. The expressions of IgG and IgG4 in cutaneous specimens were assessed by IHC (EnVision) and quantitatively calculated by a medical image analysis system. Results All 23 patients, including 14 males and 9 females, were confirmed to have CRDD. Their ages ranged from 17 to 68 years (mean 47.91 ± 14.16). The most frequently affected skin regions were the face, followed by the trunk, ears, neck, limbs, and genitals. In 16 of these cases, the disease presented as a single lesion. IHC staining of sections showed that IgG was positive (≥ 10 cells/High-Power Field [HPF]) in 22 cases, while IgG4 was positive (≥ 10 cells/HPF) in 18 cases. Moreover, the IgG4/IgG proportion ranged from 1.7% to 85.7% (mean 29.50 ± 24.67%, median 18.4%) in the 18 cases. Study limitations In the majority of studies, as well as in the current study, the design. RDD is a rare disease, so the sample size is small. In the next studies to come, the authors will expand the sample for multi-center verification and in-depth study. Conclusion The positive rates of IgG4 and IgG and the IgG4/IgG ratio assessed through IHC staining may be important in understanding the pathogenesis of CRDD.

Abstract Using the Separate Hopkinson Pressure Bar test device, a series of dynamic impact tests were carried out on the single coal and white sandstone near the incident bar. When the stress wave propagates in a complex with different wave impedance matching effects, its dynamic mechanical properties change, energy dissipation law and damage characteristics are studied. The research results show that: (1) With the increase of impact velocity, the peak stress and DIF of layered composite coal-rock increase linearly. At the same speed, when the stress wave changes from hard to soft, the peak stress and DIF are larger than the stress wave from soft to hard. (2) The dissipated energy density of layered composite coal-rock increases in a quadratic function with the increase of the incident energy density, and the composite body with better wave impedance matching effect has a higher dissipated energy density. (3) The fractal dimension and the degree of fracture of layered composite coal-rock increase with the increase of the speed. The white sandstone component is mostly shear failure, and the coal component is mostly crushed.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) has been reported in gastric cancer to be a prognostic factor. However, miR-497-targeted FGFR1 has not been explored in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. The present study intended to revalidate the prognostic significance of FGFR1 in patients with gastric cancer, and the mechanism of miR-497-regulated FGFR1 was investigated in gastric cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels were assayed by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. The targeted genes were predicted by a bioinformatics algorithm and confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay. Cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining was used to evaluate the apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. FGFR1 was frequently up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and associated with poor overall survival in patients with gastric cancer. Interestingly, FGFR1 loss-of-function resulted in a significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. In addition, we found that miR-497 was inhibited in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, while overexpression of miR-497 could suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. Importantly, bioinformatics analysis and experimental data suggested that FGFR1 was a direct target of miR-497, which could inhibit FGFR1 expression when transfected with miR-497 mimics. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of FGFR1 reversed the growth inhibition and apoptosis of miR-497 mimics in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. These findings suggested that overexpression of miR-497 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in gastric cancer through the suppression of FGFR1.

Abstract Melanin pigments have great application value and development potential in food industry to use as nature functional food colorants. In initial study, twenty-two Auricularia auricula strains were screened for stronger production ability of melanin pigments by solid culture. Three A. auricula strains (RF201, QD2 and QD6) with higher pigment production capacity were selected for further study through submerged culture supplementing 1 g/L l-tyrosine. The maximal pigment yields of A. auricula RF201, QD2 and QD6 were 493.9, 367.6 and 318.5 mg/L, respectively. Among three strains, A. auricula RF201 possessed the strongest production ability of melanin pigments. The present study indicated that A. auricula RF201 could be used as potential excellent producer of melanin pigments.

Abstract Effect of sonication on the blueberry juice was studied by evaluating the pH, viscosity, electric conductivity, color, total sugars, soluble solids, polyphenol, anthocyanidin, and radical scavenging activities. There were not any remarkable (p > 0.05) change in pH and electric conductivity. However, viscosity and color of blueberry juice markedly (p < 0.05) enhanced with the extension of sonication time. Meanwhile, total sugars, soluble solids, polyphenol, and anthocyanidin were obviously enhanced (p < 0.05). Moreover, prominent increase (p < 0.05) was observed on DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals scavenging activities of sonicated blueberry juice. The current results exhibited sonication effectively improved blueberry juice quality and enhanced its antioxidant activity.

Abstract Growth of Enterobacter aerogenes and accumulation of histamine in chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) were investigated through measuring bacterial count, histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity and histamine content in fish samples stored at various temperatures from 4 to 37 °C. Results showed that bacterial count and HDC activity rapidly increased in chub mackerel inoculated with E. aerogenes at storage temperature above 20 °C and reached the highest values (8.64 log CFU/g and 31.68 U/g) at 37 °C. Meanwhile, fish samples stored at 25 and 37 °C for 18 h, formed histamine at above 50 mg/100 g of the potential hazard level. In contrast, bacterial growth and histamine formation were controlled for 36 h by cold storage at low temperature (4 °C). Therefore, strict temperature control was necessary for preservation and processing of chub mackerel in order to assure this marine fish safety.

Abstract Melanin is a natural high molecular weight pigment with the huge application value and development potential in food industry. In the present study, medium composition for melanin production by fungus Auricularia auricula was investigated. Wheat bran extract, l-tyrosine, and CuSO4 were determined to optimize medium composition by response surface methodology with Box–Behnken design. Results indicated that the optimal medium composition was 26.80% (v/v) wheat bran extract, 1.59 g/L l-tyrosine, and 0.11 g/L CuSO4, and the maximum melanin yield was 519.54 mg/L. Melanin production through A. auricula fermentation avoided expensive enzymatic or complicated chemical methods for melanin extraction from tissues of plant or animal, which had the huge application value and development potential for efficient production of melanin.

Effect of ultrasound treatment on carrot juice was investigated through measuring pH, electrical conductivity, viscosity, visual color, total soluble solids, total sugars, total carotenoids, ascorbic acid contents and microbial load. No significant effect (p>0.05) of ultrasound treatment on pH of carrot juice was observed. Electrical conductivity, viscosity and color values gradually increased (p<0.05) with treatment time increase. Total soluble solids, total sugars, total carotenoids and ascorbic acid contents of carrot juice were significantly improved (p<0.05) due to ultrasound treatment. Moreover, significant decrease (p<0.05) in microbial load of sonicated carrot juice was observed. Results from present study suggested that ultrasound treatment could improve quality and safety of carrot juice.

Chemical composition and nutritive value of hot pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum) grown in Northeast Region of China were investigated. The proximate analysis showed that moisture, ash, crude fat, crude protein and total dietary fiber contents were 4.48, 4.94, 23.65, 21.29 and 38.76 g/100 g, respectively. The main amino acids were glutamic acid and aspartic acid (above 2 g/100 g), followed by histidine, phenylalanine, lysine, arginine, cysteine, leucine, tryptophan, serine, glycine, methionine, threonine and tyrosine (0.8-2 g/100 g). The contents of proline, alanine, valine and isoleucine were less than 0.8 g/100 g. The fatty acid profile showed that linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid and linolenic acid (above 0.55 g/100 g) as the most abundant fatty acids followed lauric acid, arachidic acid, gondoic acid and behenic acid (0.03-0.15 g/100 g). Analyses of mineral content indicated that the most abundant mineral was potassium, followed by magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, sodium and manganese. The nutritional composition of hot pepper seeds suggested that they could be regarded as good sources of food ingredients and as new sources of edible oils.

AbstractThe extraction conditions (liquid-solid ratio, temperature and time) of antioxidant polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula fruiting bodies (AAFB) were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The Box-Behnken experimental results showed the optimum extraction conditions as follows: a liquid-solid ratio of 38.77 mL/g, a temperature of 93.98 °C and a time of 3.41 h. Under these conditions, the maximal polysaccharide yield was 10.46 g/100 g. In addition, AAFB polysaccharides exhibited stronger antioxidant activities by evaluating of Fe2+-chelating ability and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 0.43 and 0.38 mg/mL, respectively. These results indicated that AAFB polysaccharides might be potentially used as a natural antioxidant.

Melanin extracted from Auricularia auricula fruiting bodies (AAFB) was examined by element analyzer, amino acid analyzer, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Elemental composition analysis revealed that main component of AAFB melanin was pheomelanin. Amino acid analysis showed that 16 amino acids were found in AAFB melanin and total amino acid content was 321. 63 mg/g. There were 13 detectable metal elements in AAFB melanin, which was rich in Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn. In addition, AAFB melanin exhibited stronger scavenging activities on 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical with IC50 values of 0.18, 0.59 and 0.34 mg/mL, respectively. These results indicated that AAFB melanin might be potentially used as a natural antioxidant.

This study presents bacterial population analyses of microbial communities inhabiting three sites of acid mine drainage (AMD) in the Shen-bu copper mine, Gansu Province, China. These sites were located next to acid-leached chalcopyrite slagheaps that had been abandoned since 1995. The pH values of these samples with high concentrations of metals ranged from 2.0 to 3.5. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) was used to characterize the bacterial population by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene of microorganisms. A total of 39 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from the three samples and sequenced from 384 clones. Sequence data and phylogenetic analyses showed that two dominant clones (JYC-1B, JYC-1D) in sample JYC-1 represented 69.5% of the total clones affiliated with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (γ-Proteobacteria), and the most dominant clones of JYC-2 and JYC-3 were affiliated with Caulobacter crescentus (α-Protebacteria). At the level of bacterial divisions, differences in the relative incidence of particular phylogenetic groups among the three samples and discrepancies in physicochemical characteristics suggested that the physico-chemical characteristics had an influence on phylogenetic diversity. Furthermore, the relationships between the discrepancies of physicochemical characteristics and the diversity of the bacteria communities in the three samples suggested that the biogeochemical properties, pH and concentration of soluble metal, could be key factors in controlling the structure of the bacterial population