Optimization of lactic acid bacterial starter culture to improve the quality and flavor characteristics of traditional Hurood.

Hurood is a traditional fermented milk product prepared by traditional Mongolian techniques of fermenting raw milk, partial degreasing, heating, whey drainage, emulsification of curd, and molding. Currently, Hurood available in the market is generally prepared by small-scale enterprises at home or in open air. Therefore, lack of standardization of bacterial starter culture leads to variation in the flavor and sensory properties of Hurood from batch to batch.

A New Highly Oxygenated Polyketide Derivative from Trichoderma sp. and Its Antifungal Activity.

A new highly oxygenated polyketide derivative, trichodersine (1), together with fourteen known compounds (2-15) were isolated from Trichoderma sp. MWTGP-04. The structure of trichodersine (1) was established based on comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis, and biogenesis argument.

Investigations of specialised metabolites of endophyte Diaporthe destruens hosted in Illigera orbiculata C. Y. Wu.

A chemical investigation of the endophytic fungus Diaporthe destruens from the Hernandiaceae plant Illigera orbiculata C. Y. Wu collected from southern Yunnan Province, China, led to the isolation of six undescribed compounds, including two azaphilone analogs, which are a pair of epimers (13R-hydroxy-chermesinone A and 13S-hydroxy-chermesinone A); a pyrrole derivative (1-(4-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)ethan-1-one); an isoindolone derivative (4-hydroxy-6-methoxyisoindolin-1-one); a benzylbenzene derivative (destruensine A) and a conjectural fragment of polyketide ((2R,4R)-2-(methoxymethyl)pentane-1,4-diol) along with nine known compounds.

[A new isobenzofuranone derivative from Phlomis betonicoides and its antibacterial activity].

A new isobenzofuranone derivative has been isolated from Phlomis betonicoides by using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, MCI-gel resin and RP-HPLC. This compound was determined as 5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2,2-dimethyl-2-furo[3,4-]chromen-7(9)-one (1) by NMR, MS, IR and UV spectroscopic data. Compound 1 showed potent antibacterial activity with an MIC₉₀ value of (58.

Three new sesquiterpenes from the stems of Nicotiana tabacum and their bioactivities.

Three new sesquiterpenes, methyl 4-isopropyl-7-methoxy-6-methylnaphthalene-1-carboxylate (1), methyl 2-hydroxy-4-isopropyl-7-methoxy-6-methylnaphthalene-1-carboxylate (2), and methyl 2-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-isopropyl-7-methoxynaphthalene-1-carboxylate (3), together with three known sesquiterpenes (4-6), were isolated from the stems of Nicotiana tabacum. Their structures were determined by means of HRESIMS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies. The results showed that compounds 2, 3, and 5 exhibited high anti-TMV activity with inhibition rates of 33.

Three new benzolactones from Lavandula angustifolia and their bioactivities.

Three new benzolactones (1-3), together with four known ones (4-7), were isolated from the whole herb of Lavandula angustifolia. Their structures were established on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis (1D- and 2D-NMR, HRESIMS, UV, and IR) and comparison with data reported in the literature. New compounds were evaluated for their anti-tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) activities and cytotoxic activities.

Anti-TMV activity flavones from the leaves of Yunnan local air cured tobacco.

Four new flavones, tobaflavones E-H (1-4), together with two known flavones (5 and 6), were isolated from the leaves of Dali Tiandeng tobacco (a variety of Yunnan local air cured tobacco). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D- and 2D NMR techniques. Compound 2 is the first naturally occurring flavone bearing a (4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-3-yl)methyl moiety.

[The roles of activated protein-1 and cell cycle protein in silica-induced cell cycle changes].

Objective: To investigate the roles of cyclin D1 and CDK4 in the cell cycle changes of human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs) exposed to silica.

Methods: HELFs were divided into 4 groups: control group, curcumin (20 µmol/L for 1 h) group, silica (200 µg/ml for 24 h) group and curcumin plus silica group, i.e.

[Silica induce cell cycle changes by mitogen-activated protein kinases pathway].

Objective: To investigate the roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) on silica-induced cell cycle changes.

Methods: After cells were treated with 200 microg/ml silica, Western blot and Immunofluorescence assays were utilized to detect the expression of cyclin D1, CDK4 and E2F-4, Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle progression, the dominant negative mutants techniques were used to investigate silica-induced signal pathway and the effects of which in silica-induced cell cycle changes.

Results: After cells were exposed to 200 microg/ml silica 24 h, the results of present study showed the proportion of cells in G1 phases was decreased.

DNA repair and synthetic lethality.

Tumors often have DNA repair defects, suggesting additional inhibition of other DNA repair pathways in tumors may lead to synthetic lethality. Accumulating data demonstrate that DNA repair-defective tumors, in particular homologous recombination (HR), are highly sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. Thus, HR-defective tumors exhibit potential vulnerability to the synthetic lethality approach, which may lead to new therapeutic strategies.

[The roles of Ku80/p53 pathway in silica-induced cell cycle changes in human embryo lung fibroblasts].

Objective: To study the roles of Ku80/p53 pathway in silica-induced cell cycle changes in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).

Methods: Ku80 siRNA expression vectors were transfected into HELF by lipofectamine. Flow cytometry was used to detect the distributions of cell cycle and western blot assay was used to determine the expression level of Ku80, p53 and p21 proteins or the phosphorylation levels of p53-ser15 after cells were exposed to silica.

[Roles of DNA dependent protein kinase in silica-induced cyclin E and CDK2 expressions and cell cycle changes in human embryo lung fibroblasts].

Objective: To study the roles of DNA dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK)in silica-induced cell cycle changes and expressions of CyclinE and CDK2 in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).

Methods: The expressions of Ku80 and DNA-PKcs proteins were inhibited by siRNA plasmids, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to detect the distributions of cell cycle and western blot assay was used to determine the expression levels of CyclinE and CDK2 after cells were exposed to 200 microg/ml silica for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 h.

[Role of p53 in silica-induced cell cycle alternation and DNA double-strand break repair in human embryo lung fibroblasts].

Objective: To study the role of p53 in silica-induced cell cycle alternation and DNA double strand breaks repair in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).

Methods: Neutral comet assay was applied to detect silica-induced DNA double strand breaks. According to the neutral comet experimental result, the DNA repair competence was calculated.

[Roles of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase in silica-induced DNA double strand breaks damage repair in human embryo lung fibroblasts].

Objective: To study the role of Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) in silica-induced DNA double strand break repair in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).

Methods: Control HELF cells and DN-Deltap85 (HELF transfected with Dominant negative mutant of PI3K) were treated with 200 microg/ml silica for different times. The expression levels of phosphor-H2AX (H2AX), Ku70, Ku80 and DNA-PKcs were determined by Western blot.

[Role of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit in silica-induced DNA double-strand break repair in human embryo lung fibroblasts].

Objective: To study the role of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) in silica-induced DNA double-strand break repair in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).

Methods: Two stable transfectants, HELF transfected with DNA-PKcs siRNA (HELF-PKcs) and with negative control siRNA (HELF-NC), were established. HELF cells were treated with 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 microg/ml silica for 12 h and with 200 microg/ml silica for different times (0, 1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h).

[Effects of p53 in benzo (a) pyrene induced p21 and E2F-1 expression and cell cycle changes].

Objective: To investigate the roles of p53 in cell cycle changes on human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF) induced by benzo(a) pyrene[ B(a) P], and relationships between p53 and p21, E2F-1.

Methods: Cells transfected with p53 siRNA plasmid (p53-H) and CMV vector (HELF/CMV) were cultured with serum-free R/MINI-1640 for 48 hours, then treated with 2 micromol/L B(a)P for 24 hours. Flow cytometry assay was used for detecting the cell cycle alteration after being exposed to B(a)P.

[Activated protein 1-cyclin D1/E2F 1 pathways involved in cell cycle changes induced by benzo (a) pyrene].

Objective: To investigate the roles of activated protein 1 (AP-1) in cell cycle changes on human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF) induced by benzo (a) pyrene [B (a) P], and relationships between AP-1 and cyclin D1/CDK4-E2F-1/4.

Methods: Cells transfected with AP-1 luciferase reporter plasmid (AP-H) were cultured with serum-free RPMI1640 for 48 h, and treated with 2 micromol/L B (a) P for 24 h. AP-1 relative activity was detected by luciferase assay.

[ERK, JNK/AP-1 pathway was involved in silica-induced cell cycle changes].

Objective: To investigate the alteration of activator protein-1 (AP-1) luciferase activity in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF) after exposed to silica, and the role of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK)/AP-1 pathway on silica-induced cell cycle changes.

Methods: After HELF cells were treated with 200 microg/ml silica, immunofluorescence assays were employed to detect the translocation and the phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), flow cytometry was used to detect the distributions of cell cycle, the dominant negative mutant of ERK, JNK and p38 were applied to detect the upstream or downstream relationship of signaling pathways.

Results: After HELF-AP-1 cells were exposed to 200 microg/ml silica 6, 12, 24 h respectively, silica exposure lead to AP-1 activation in a time-dependent manner, inducing significant AP-1 activation at 6 h, reaching a maximum activation at 12 h, and having a little decrease at 24 h.

[Study on the body mass index and waist circumference of aged with clustering of other cardiovascular risk factors].

Objective: To explore the relation of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) of the aged with clustering of other cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: Total 654 old people were checked up, and the systolic blood press (SBP), diastolic blood press (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) of them were investigated according to different BMI and WC, then the other cardiovascular risk factors analysis was carried out on the detection rates of SBP, DBP, TC, HDL-C, FPG level and high blood pressure, high TC, high TG. The clustering of the other cardiovascular risk factors was analyzed.

[The anti-respiratory syncytial virus effect of active compound of Glycyrrhiza GD4 in vitro].

Objective: To study the effect on anti-respiratory syncytial virus of an active compound GD4 from Glycyrrhiza in vitro.

Methods: GD4 was extracted from Glycyrrhiza by hot water extraction, dichloromethane extraction and column chromatography. The CPE inhibition assay was used to test the antiviral activity of GD4 on RSV in Hela cells.

[Study on the immuno-effects of recombinant hepatitis B vaccination in adults].

Objective: To evaluate the immuno-effects of hepatitis B (HB) vaccination in adults.

Methods: Five groups were sampled by means of cluster sampling, and serum HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were tested in every group at people aged from 18 to 50. Recombinant HB vaccine was injected to the ones that HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were all negative.