Microbial community succession and its correlation with the dynamics of flavor compound profiles in naturally fermented stinky sufu.

Wuhan stinky sufu is a traditional fermented soybean product with a short ripening period and unique flavor. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristic flavor compounds and core functional microbiota of naturally fermented Wuhan stinky sufu. The results indicated that 11 volatile compounds including guaiacol, 2-pentylfuran, dimethyl trisulfide, dimethyl disulfide, acetoin, 1-octen-3-ol, (2E)-2-nonenal, indole, propyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl 4-methylvalerate, nonanal were characteristic aroma compounds, and 6 free amino acids (Ser, Lys, Arg, Glu, Met and Pro) were identified as taste-contributing compounds. 4 fungal genera (Kodamaea, unclassified_Dipodascaceae, Geotrichum, Trichosporon), and 9 bacterial genera (Lysinibacillus, Enterococcus, Acidipropionibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Corynebacterium, Lactococcus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, and Acinetobacter) were identified as the core functional microbiota with positive effects on the production of flavor compounds. These findings would enhance the understanding of core flavor-producing microorganisms in naturally fermented soybean products and potentially provide guidance for enhancing the quality of sufu.

Combined high-throughput and fractionation approaches reveal changes of polysaccharides in blueberry skin cell walls during fermentation for wine production.

There have been rare reports about the structure/composition of polymers in blueberry skin and their changes during fermentation for wine production. In this study, the compositional changes occurring in blueberry skin during fermentation were tracked by a combination of cell wall analysis techniques including infra-red spectroscopy, monosaccharide analysis, and comprehensive microarray polymer profiling (CoMPP). The cross-corroborating data revealed that blueberry skin cell wall is particularly rich in xyloglucan. Chemical fractionation analysis indicated that the KOH soluble fraction is a dominant fraction in fermented blueberry skin. Interestingly, the KOH soluble fraction contained abundant epitopes associated with pectin branch chains, indicating tight binding of some enzyme-resistant pectin polymers to hemicellulose. This study provides important implications for the development of effective strategies to extract beneficial substances (such as aromatics, tannins and pigments) from berry tissues during processing.

Effects of Poncirin, a Citrus Flavonoid and Its Aglycone, Isosakuranetin, on the Gut Microbial Diversity and Metabolomics in Mice.

Poncirin (PC) and its aglycone, isosakuranetin (IR), occur naturally in citrus fruits. This study aimed to explore the pathways behind the different health benefits of PC and IR by evaluating the effect of these two bioactive flavonoids on the gut microbial diversity and metabolomics of mice. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the alteration of gut microbiota in mice after PC and IR intervention. The metabolic impact of PC and IR in mice were studied using a metabolomics approach based on LC-MS analysis. Results showed that, after 7 days intervention, PC and IR multiplied the abundance of Parabacteroides in mice's intestinal tracts by 1.2 and 1.0 times, respectively. PC increased the abundance of Bacteroides by 2.4 times. IR reduced the Allobaculum abundance by 1.0 time and increased Alloprevotella abundance by 1.5 times. When mice were given PC, their fecal acetic acid level increased by 1.8 times, while their isobutyric and isovaleric acid content increased by 1.2 and 1.3 times, respectively. Supplementation with IR had no significant effect on the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the feces of mice. The potential urine biomarkers of mice in the PC group were involved in the digestion and absorption of protein and carbohydrate, as well as the metabolism of amino acids, such as glycine, serine, threonine, tryptophan, D-arginine, D-ornithine, etc. IR mainly affected the amino acid metabolic pathways in mice, including taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, histidine metabolism, D-glutamate metabolism, etc. This study provided valuable clues for future research on the health promoting mechanisms of PC and IR.

Prostheses option in revision total knee arthroplasty, from the bench to the bedside: (1) basic science and principles.

The number of primary and revision total knee arthroplasties (rTKAs) continues to increase annually. To date, most of the literature has focused on the surgical technique and outcome of revision prostheses. Thanks to the contributions of surgeons, engineers, and researchers, the design of prostheses has reached a prominent milestone. However, very limited discussion regarding the design, rationale and constitution of prostheses has been documented at present. An electronic search of four online databases (Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar) was conducted to identify eligible resources. Forty-four review articles were acquired by searching the terms 'prosthesis selection', 'prosthesis option', and 'prosthesis determination' in rTKA. Sixty-eight research articles investigating the factors affecting prosthesis options in rTKA were screened and integrated with the authors' perspective to reach a final recommendation. This article first discusses the pathological, individual, and other factors affecting prosthesis options in rTKA and further illustrates the classification, geometry, biomechanics, and constitution of the revision system from the authors' perspective. An evidence-based recommendation in the form of a matching algorithm was formulated. This review offers special value for decision-making regarding prosthesis options in rTKA. Particularly, it presents specific recommendations regarding unclear practical issues, such as the optimal level of constraint, individualized design, length, and fixation of extension stem, as well as the pros and cons of modularity.

Involvement of phase II enzymes and efflux transporters in the metabolism and absorption of naringin, hesperidin and their aglycones in rats.

This study examined the effects of phase II metabolism and efflux transportation on the bioavailability of naringin, hesperidin, and their aglycones (naringenin and hesperetin) in rats. Results indicated naringin and hesperidin have a lower oral bioavailability than their aglycones. Of all the phase II enzymes tested, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A1, UGT1A2, UGT1A3, UGT1A7 and SULT sulfotransferase (SULT) 1B1 were of minor importance regarding the phase II metabolism of naringenin and hesperetin in the small intestine. Naringin, hesperidin, and their aglycones were all extensively metabolised in the liver. Naringin and hesperidin were more extensively transported by efflux transporters compared to their aglycones. Significant correlations between phase II enzymes and efflux transporters were detected. In conclusion, more extensive metabolism of naringin and hesperidin than their aglycones in the small intestine, and the interplay of phase II enzymes and efflux transporters in the small intestine explain the lower relative oral bioavailability of naringin and hesperidin than their aglycones.

Does the Relationship Between Bone Cement and the Intravertebral Cleft of Kummell Disease Affect the Efficacy of PKP?

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between distribution of bone cement and intravertebral cleft of patients with Kummell disease on the clinical effect of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). METHODS: According to the relationship between the distribution of bone cement and the cleft in the vertebrae, a total of 92 patients with Kummell disease who underwent PKP in our hospital were divided into 2 groups. Specifically, the bone cement of patients in group A was localized in the cleft of the vertebrae and did not infiltrate around the cleft, while that of group B patients not only filled the cleft of the vertebrae, but also distributed diffusely around the cleft of the vertebrae. The amount of bone cement injected, leakage rate, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and vertebral imaging changes before operation, and 2 days and 1 year after operation were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The amount of bone cement injected and the permeability of bone cement in group B were higher than those in group A (P < 0.05). The scores of VAS and ODI in both groups were significantly improved after operation, but the two scores in group B were better than those in group A one year after operation. The height of anterior vertebral body and Cobb's angle of kyphosis in the 2 groups were significantly improved after operation, but 1 year after operation, those in group B were better than those in group A. CONCLUSIONS: PKP was an effective method for treating Kummell disease. At the same time, the relationship between the distribution of bone cement and the cleft in the vertebral body was an important factor affecting the curative effect after PKP. The effect of the distribution pattern of bone cement filled with intravertebral cleft and diffusely distributed around the fissures was better than that of bone cement confined in the vertebral cleft.

Inhibitory effects of fermented Ougan (Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima) juice on high-fat diet-induced obesity associated with white adipose tissue browning and gut microbiota modulation in mice.

In this study, Ougan juice (OJ) and lactic acid bacteria fermented Ougan juice (FOJ) were investigated individually for their capability of preventing obesity in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6J mice. After being administered with OJ or FOJ for 10 weeks, the body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and gut microbiota dysbiosis of HFD-fed mice were examined. The results showed that OJ or FOJ supplementation inhibited weight gain, lowered fat accumulation, reduced liver steatosis, improved glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity, increased brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity, and promoted white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. Both OJ and FOJ additions increased the diversity of gut microbiota. OJ reduced the relative abundance of phylum Erysipelatoclostridiaceae and genus Erysipelatoclostridium and remarkably increased SCFA-producing bacteria Blautia, while FOJ reduced the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and enhanced the relative abundance of family Lactobacillaceae. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that Akkermansia, Dubosiella, and Muribaculaceae were significantly negatively correlated with obesity-related indexes. In general, FOJ exhibited a better inhibitory effect on obesity than OJ, and the possible inhibitory mechanism lies in promoting WAT browning and increasing intestinal probiotics. This study provides the guidance for developing fermented Ougan juice as an obesity-inhibiting functional food.

Effects of biochar on biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole and chloramphenicol by Pseudomonas stutzeri and Shewanella putrefaciens: Microbial growth, fatty acids, and the expression quantity of genes.

An incubation experiment was conducted to investigate whether different biochar could enhance the biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and chloramphenicol (CAP). During incubation in nutrient medium solution, the degradation efficiencies of SMX by P. stutzeri and S. putrefaciens obtained 61.79% and 68.67% respectively, while CAP was 85.75% and 85.70%. The biodegradation efficiencies of SMX and CAP increased for P. stutzeri cultured with biochar and increased for S. putrefaciens cultured with high-concentration biochar (500, 1,000, 2,000 mg L-1). Additionally, TOC and TN contents were significantly decreased during the biodegradation process. Hence, the effects of biochar on microbial growth, fatty acids and expression genes, biodegradation products were studied. The content of bacteria, saturated fatty acids and expression genes showed a positive correlation with the content of TOC released from biochar, while the biodegradation products would not change when bacteria was cultured with biochar. These indicated that biochar improved the antibiotics biodegradation efficiencies via involvement in the bacterial growth, changing the components of fatty acids, increasing the expression quantity of genes. This research suggests that micro-biological degradation with biochar is a promising technology to treat specific antibiotics in the environment.

Biotransformation of two citrus flavanones by lactic acid bacteria in chemical defined medium.

Microbial processes are being developed to transform flavonoid glycosides to varieties of metabolites with higher bioavailability. The aim of this study was to determine the metabolic activity and survival of five lactic acid bacteria (LAB) stains (L. rhamnosus LRa05, L. casei LC89, L. plantarum N13, L. acidophilus LA85, and L. brevis LB01) in two different citrus flavanone standards (hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside and naringenin-7-O-rutinoside). The enzymatic activity, metabolites, antioxidant activities, and α-glucosidase inhibition property in the two standards were also investigated before and after incubated with LAB. The medium contained standards permitted survival of the five LAB stains. All strains exhibited ß-glucosidase activity. Of the five LAB strains tested, just L. plantarum N13 and L. brevis LB01 have the ability to metabolize hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside, only L. plantarum N13, L. acidophilus LA85, and L. brevis LB01 could metabolize naringenin-7-O-rutinoside, moreover, L. acidophilus LA85l was the strain with the highest biotransformation ratio of naringenin-7-O-rutinoside. L. acidophilus LA85 and L. plantarum N13 can degrade naringenin-7-O-rutinoside into naringenin. L. brevis LB01 can degrade hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside into hesperetin, 3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid, 3-(3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)hydracrylic acid, and 3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid. Incubation of L. acidophilus LA85 in naringenin-7-O-rutinoside solution supposed no apparent influence in the biological activities that tested. L. acidophilus LA85 may potentially contribute to the bioavailability of citrus flavanones, and to be applied as functional cultures to obtain more bioavailable and bioactive metabolites in food products or in the human gastrointestinal tract.

Comparative analysis of chemical constituents and bioactivities of the extracts from leaves, seed coats and embryoids of Ginkgo biloba L.

A total of 25 compounds including terpenoids, flavonoids, biflavonoids and ginkgolic acids were identified and quantified with a reliable, simple, and simultaneous method from Ginkgo leaves, seed coats and embryoids with different tree ages (approximately identified as 25, 500, 1000 and 2000 years). Leaves had the highest amount of total bioactive compounds. Seed coats had moderate contents of flavonoids, which was 15 times higher than embryoids. Furthermore, the effects of tree ages on bioactive compounds differ in three parts. The contents of bilobalide, ginkgolide J, ginkgolide C, ginkgolide B, ginkgolide A in embryoids and seed coats were highest from 500-year-old tree, while in leaves were highest from 25-year-old tree. This work first investigated the extensive bioactive compounds in ginkgo leaves, seed coats and embryoids from Ginkgo trees older than 500-year, it gives good reference for making better use of Ginkgo products.

Acetaldehyde kinetics of enological yeast during alcoholic fermentation in grape must.

Acetaldehyde strongly binds to the wine preservative SO2 and, on average, causes 50-70 mg l-1 of bound SO2 in red and white wines, respectively. Therefore, a reduction of bound and total SO2 concentrations necessitates knowledge of the factors that affect final acetaldehyde concentrations in wines. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the acetaldehyde production and degradation kinetics of 26 yeast strains of oenological relevance during alcoholic fermentation in must under controlled anaerobic conditions. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces strains displayed similar metabolic kinetics where acetaldehyde reached an initial peak value at the beginning of fermentations followed by partial reutilization. Quantitatively, the range of values obtained for non-Saccharomyces strains greatly exceeded the variability among the S. cerevisiae strains tested. Non-Saccharomyces strains of the species C. vini, H. anomala, H. uvarum, and M. pulcherrima led to low acetaldehyde residues (<10 mg l-1), while C. stellata, Z. bailii, and, especially, a S. pombe strain led to large residues (24-48 mg l-1). Acetaldehyde residues in S. cerevisiae cultures were intermediate and less dispersed (14-34 mg l-1). Addition of SO2 to Chardonnay must triggered significant increases in acetaldehyde formation and residual acetaldehyde. On average, 0.33 mg of residual acetaldehyde remained per mg of SO2 added to must, corresponding to an increase of 0.47 mg of bound SO2 per mg of SO2 added. This research demonstrates that certain non-Saccharomyces strains display acetaldehyde kinetics that would be suitable to reduce residual acetaldehyde, and hence, bound-SO2 levels in grape wines. The acetaldehyde formation potential may be included as strain selection argument in view of reducing preservative SO2 concentrations.

Enhanced anti-inflammatory effects of DHA and quercetin in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK activation.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) + quercetin (QE) used in combination. DHA and QE are natural compounds derived from various foods and have been demonstrated to exert anti­inflammatory effects The protein mRNA expression involved in the nuclear factor (NF)-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway was analyzed by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction methods respectively, other cytokines were detected by an enzyme­linked immunosorbent assay kit. The results of the present study demonstrated that combined treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)­stimulated RAW264.7 cells with DHA + QE decreased the levels of pro­inflammatory mediators to a greater extent than QE or DHA alone. Additionally, DHA + QE synergistically suppressed nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2 and cyclooxygenase-2 levels. Molecular­level studies indicated that the DHA + QE combination can significantly inhibit the mRNA expression of NF­κB subunits p50 and p65, extracellular signal­regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and c­JUN N­terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2, which suggests that the NF­κB signalling pathway is involved in the synergistic effects observed. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that DHA + QE synergistically inhibit the phosphorylation of p50, p65, ERK1/2 and JNK1/2. This finding indicates that the enhanced anti­inflammatory effects of the combined compounds are achieved by suppressing NF­κB and MAPK signalling in LPS­stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The results of the present study suggest that DHA and QE in combination may be utilized as potent anti­inflammatory compounds, with potential preventative or palliative effects on obesity, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.

Identification and antioxidant properties of polyphenols in lotus seed epicarp at different ripening stages.

In this study, polyphenols from lotus seed epicarp (PLSE) at three different ripening stages were purified by column chromatography and identified by RP-HPLC and HPLC-ESI-MS(2). The antioxidant activities of PLSE were also investigated. We found that the contents of PLSE at the green ripening stage, half ripening stage and full ripening stage are 13.08%, 10.95% and 6.73% respectively. The levels of catechin, epicatechin, hyperoside, and isoquercitrin in PLSE at the three different ripening stages were different. Moreover, the amounts of catechin and epicatechin decreased, while the contents of hyperoside and isoquercitrin increased as the seed ripened. We found that PLSE at three different ripening stages had good scavenging abilities on DPPH and ABTS(+) radicals. However, the scavenging ability decreased with maturation. Our results may be valuable with regard to the utilization of lotus seed epicarp as a functional food material.

Evaluation of yeast diversity during wine fermentations with direct inoculation and pied de cuve method at an industrial scale.

The diversity and composition of yeast populations may greatly impact wine quality. This study investigated the yeast microbiota in two different types of wine fermentations: direct inoculation of a commercial starter versus pied de cuve method at an industrial scale. The pied de cuve fermentation entailed growth of the commercial inoculum used in the direct inoculation fermentation for further inoculation of additional fermentations. Yeast isolates were collected from different stages of wine fermentation and identified to the species level using Wallersterin Laboratory nutrient (WLN) agar followed by analysis of the 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain. Genetic characteristics of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were assessed by a rapid PCR-based method, relying on the amplification of interdelta sequences. A total of 412 yeast colonies were obtained from all fermentations and eight different WL morphotypes were observed. Non-Saccharomyces yeast mainly appeared in the grape must and at the early stages of wine fermentation. S. cerevisiae was the dominant yeast species using both fermentation techniques. Seven distinguishing interdelta sequence patterns were found among S. cerevisiae strains, and the inoculated commercial starter, AWRI 796, dominated all stages in both direct inoculation and pied de cuve fermentations. This study revealed that S. cerevisiae was the dominant species and an inoculated starter could dominate fermentations with the pied de cuve method under controlled conditions.

Evaluation of the acetaldehyde production and degradation potential of 26 enological Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast strains in a resting cell model system.

Acetaldehyde is relevant for wine aroma, wine color, and microbiological stability. Yeast are known to play a crucial role in production and utilization of acetaldehyde during fermentations but comparative quantitative data are scarce. This research evaluated the acetaldehyde metabolism of 26 yeast strains, including commercial Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces, in a reproducible resting cell model system. Acetaldehyde kinetics and peak values were highly genus, species, and strain dependent. Peak acetaldehyde values varied from 2.2 to 189.4 mg l(-1) and correlated well (r(2) = 0.92) with the acetaldehyde production yield coefficients that ranged from 0.4 to 42 mg acetaldehyde per g of glucose in absence of SO(2). S. pombe showed the highest acetaldehyde production yield coefficients and peak values. All other non-Saccharomyces species produced significantly less acetaldehyde than the S. cerevisiae strains and were less affected by SO(2) additions. All yeast strains could degrade acetaldehyde as sole substrate, but the acetaldehyde degradation rates did not correlate with acetaldehyde peak values or acetaldehyde production yield coefficients in incubations with glucose as sole substrate.