Multiple omics revealed the growth-promoting mechanism of Bacillus velezensis strains on ramie.

Beneficial bacteria that promote plant growth can shield plants from negative effects. Yet, the specific biological processes that drive the relationships between soil microbes and plant metabolism are still not fully understood. To investigate this further, we utilized a combination of microbiology and non-targeted metabolomics techniques to analyze the impact of plant growth-promoting bacteria on both the soil microbial communities and the metabolic functions within ramie (Boehmeria nivea) tissues. The findings indicated that the yield and traits of ramie plants are enhanced after treatment with Bacillus velezensis (B. velezensis). These B. velezensis strains exhibit a range of plant growth-promoting properties, including phosphate solubilization and ammonia production. Furthermore, strain YS1 also demonstrates characteristics of IAA production. The presence of B. velezensis resulted in a decrease in soil bacteria diversity, resulting in significant changes in the overall structure and composition of soil bacteria communities. Metabolomics showed that B. velezensis significantly altered the ramie metabolite spectrum, and the differential metabolites were notably enriched (P < 0.05) in five main metabolic pathways: lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, plant secondary metabolites biosynthesis, and plant hormones biosynthesis. Seven common differential metabolites were identified. Correlation analysis showed that the microorganisms were closely related to metabolite accumulation and yield index. In the B. velezensis YS1 and B. velezensis Y4-6-1 treatment groups, the relative abundances of BIrii41 and Bauldia were significantly positively correlated with sphingosine, 9,10,13-TriHOME, fresh weight, and root weight, indicating that these microorganisms regulate the formation of various metabolites, promoting the growth and development of ramie. Conclusively, B. velezensis (particularly YS1) played an important role in regulating soil microbial structure and promoting plant metabolism, growth, and development. The application of the four types of bacteria in promoting ramie growth provides a good basis for future application of biological fertilizers and bio-accelerators.

Stabilization of emulsions prepared by ball milling and cellulase treated pomelo peel insoluble dietary fiber: Integrity of porous fiber structure dominates the stability.

Emulsion gels from the pomelo peel insoluble dietary fiber (PIDF) were developed. The emulsification potentials of PIDFs subjected to various degrees of ball milling (M-PIDFs), cellulase hydrolysis (C-PIDF), and cellulase hydrolysis followed by ball milling (CM-PIDFs) were evaluated. Emulsions prepared by M-PIDFs for different lengths of ball milling time exhibited similar stability characteristics, confirming that M-PIDF emulsion stability might be determined by the three-dimensional structure formed by M-PIDF stacking and oil droplet capture. C-PIDF had characteristics resembling those of Pickering particles. CM-PIDF emulsions got destabilized with ball milling time prolongation. Interface tension and particle size of C/CM-PIDF decreased gradually during ball milling. Rheological and fluorescence microscopy results revealed that the intact internal crosslinking structure frameworks were disrupted in CM-PIDF emulsions. Therefore, intact fiber-based networks, rather than small particle size or low interfacial tension, determine the stability of PIDF emulsions. This study deepens the understanding of PIDF as a clean emulsifier.

[Protective effect of metformin on pulmonary fibrosis caused by paraquat through activating AMP-activated protein kinase pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To observe whether metformin (MET) inhibits transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/Smad3 signaling pathway by activating adenosine activated protein kinase (AMPK), so as to alleviate the pulmonary fibrosis caused by paraquat (PQ) poisoning in mice. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the Control group, PQ poisoning model group (PQ group), MET intervention group (PQ+MET group), AMPK agonist group (PQ+AICAR group), and AMPK inhibitor group (PQ+MET+CC group), according to a random number table method. A mouse model of PQ poisoning was established by one-time peritoneal injection of 1 mL PQ solution (20 mg/kg). The Control group was injected with the same volume of normal saline. After 2 hours of modeling, the PQ+MET group was given 2 mL of 200 mg/kg MET solution by gavage, the PQ+AICAR group was given 2 mL of 200 mg/kg AICAR solution by intraperitoneal injection, the PQ+MET+CC group was given 2 mL of 200 mg/kg MET solution by gavage and then 1 mL complex C (CC) solution (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected, the Control group and PQ group were given 2 mL of normal saline by gavage. The intervention was given once a day for 21 consecutive days. The 21-day survival rate of ten mice in each group was calculated, and the lung tissues of remaining mice were collected at 21 days after modeling. The pathological changes of lung tissues were observed under light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining, and the degree of pulmonary fibrosis was evaluated by Ashcroft score. The content of hydroxyproline in lung tissue and oxidative stress indicators such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected. The protein expressions of E-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK), TGF-ß1 and phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3) in lung tissue were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the Control group, the 21 days survival rate was significantly reduced, lung fibrosis and Ashcroft score were significantly increased in PQ group. In addition, the content of hydroxyproline, MDA and the protein expressions of α-SMA, TGF-ß1 and p-Smad3 in lung tissue were significantly increased, while the activity of SOD and the protein expressions of E-cadherin and p-AMPK were significantly decreased in PQ group. Compared with the PQ group, the 21 days survival rates of mice were significantly improved in the PQ+MET group and PQ+AICAR group (70%, 60% vs. 20%, both P < 0.05). The degree of pulmonary fibrosis and the Ashcroft score were significantly reduced (1.50±0.55, 2.00±0.63 vs. 6.67±0.52, both P < 0.05). The content of hydroxyproline and MDA in lung tissue, as well as α-SMA, TGF-ß1 and p-Smad3 protein expressions were significantly reduced [hydroxyproline (mg/L): 2.03±0.11, 3.00±0.85 vs. 4.92±0.65, MDA (kU/g): 2.06±1.48, 2.10±1.80 vs. 4.06±1.33, α-SMA/GAPDH: 0.23±0.06, 0.16±0.06 vs. 1.00±0.09, TGF-ß1/GAPDH: 0.28±0.03, 0.53±0.05 vs. 0.92±0.06 p-Smad3/GAPDH: 0.52±0.04, 0.69±0.06 vs. 1.11±0.10, all P < 0.05], SOD activity and the protein expressions of E-cadherin and p-AMPK were significantly increased [SOD (µmol/g): 39.76±1.35, 33.03±1.28 vs. 20.08±1.79, E-cadherin/GAPDH: 0.91±0.08, 0.72±0.08 vs. 0.26±0.04, p-AMPK/GAPDH: 0.62±0.04, 0.60±0.01 vs. 0.20±0.04, all P < 0.05]. However, these protective effects of MET were inhibited by the addition of AMPK inhibitor CC solution. CONCLUSIONS: MET can effectively alleviate the degree of pulmonary fibrosis in mice poisoned with PQ, and its mechanism may be related to the activation of AMPK and inhibition of TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway, which can be inhibited by AMPK inhibitor CC.

Untargeted metabolomics reveal rhizosphere metabolites mechanisms on continuous ramie cropping.

Ramie is an important fiber feed dual-purpose crop in China and plays an important role in the national economy. However, ramie yield and quality can be reduced after many years of continuous cultivation. Currently, relatively little research has been conducted on rhizosphere metabolites and their pathways in continuous ramie cropping. Therefore, a healthy group (CK) and obstacle groups (XZQG, JZ, DJY, and GXD) with 8 years of continuous cultivation were selected for the study. LC-MS and GC-MS untargeted metabolomics were used to explore and analyze ramie rhizosphere metabolites and pathways. The results revealed that significant differences in the agronomic traits of ramie occurred after 8 years of continuous cultivation, with dwarfed plants and decreased yields in the obstacle groups. Metabolomic analysis identified 49 and 19 rhizosphere metabolites, including lipids, organic acids, phenols, and amino acids. In addition, four differential metabolic pathways (phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism) were elucidated. It was also clarified that sinapic acid, jasmonic acid, glutamine, and inositol might be the main metabolites affecting ramie continuous-cropping obstacle groups, and they were significantly correlated with ramie agronomic traits and physiological indicators. This provided important insights into the mechanisms affecting continuous ramie cropping. Accordingly, it is expected that the increase or decrease of sinapic acid, jasmonic acid, glutamine, and inositol in the soil will alleviate obstacles to continuous ramie cropping and promote the healthy development of the ramie industry in the future.

Influence of cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of Spirulina platensis slurry over biomass characteristics.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) technique is an innovative non-thermal approach for food preservation and decontamination. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of CAPP power density on microorganism inactivation and quality of Spirulina platensis (S. platensis) slurry. 91.31 ± 1.61% of microorganism were inactivated within 2.02 ± 0.11 min by 26.67 W/g CAPP treatment under 50 ℃. Total phenolic, Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and carotenoids contents were increased by 20.51%, 63.55%, and 70.04% after 20.00 W/g CAPP treatment. Phycobiliproteins (PBPs), protein, intracellular polysaccharide, and moisture content of S. platensis was decreased, while vividness, lightness, color of yellow and green, antioxidant activity, Essential Amino Acid Index were enhanced after CAPP treatment. The nutrient release and filaments breakage of CAPP-treated S. platensis improved its bio-accessibility. The findings provided a deep understanding and insight into the influence of CAPP treatment on S. platensis, which were meaningful for optimizing its sterilization and drying processing condition.

Nonlinear optical phonon spectroscopy revealing polaronic signatures of the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface.

We report the direct observation of lattice phonons confined at LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) interfaces and STO surfaces using the sum-frequency phonon spectroscopy. This interface-specific nonlinear optical technique unveiled phonon modes localized within a few monolayers at the interface, with inherent sensitivity to the coupling between lattice and charge degrees of freedom. Spectral evolution across the insulator-to-metal transition at LAO/STO interface revealed an electronic reconstruction at the subcritical LAO thickness, as well as strong polaronic signatures upon formation of the two-dimensional electron gas. We further discovered a characteristic lattice mode from interfacial oxygen vacancies, enabling us to probe such important structural defects in situ. Our study provides a unique perspective on many-body interactions at the correlated oxide interfaces.

Effects of C/N ratio on the growth and protein accumulation of heterotrophic Chlorella in broken rice hydrolysate.

BACKGROUND: Microalgae protein is considered as a sustainable alternative to animal protein in the future. Using waste for microalgal culture can upgrade low-value raw materials into high-value products, helping to offset the cost of microalgal protein production. In this study we explored the feasibility of using microalgae heterotrophic fermentation to convert broken rice hydrolysate (BRH) into protein. RESULTS: The results showed that the increase of BRH supplemental ratio was beneficial to the increase of biomass production but not beneficial to the increase of intracellular protein content. To further improve protein production, the effect of C/N ratio on intracellular protein accumulation was studied. It was found that low C/N ratio was beneficial to the synthesis of glutamate in microalgae cells, which in turn promoted the anabolism of other amino acids and further the protein. When the C/N ratio was 12:1, the biomass productivity and protein content could reach a higher level, which were 0.90 g/L/day and 61.56%, respectively. The obtained Chlorella vulgaris biomass was rich in essential amino acids (41.80%), the essential amino acid index was as high as 89.07, and the lysine content could reach up to 4.05 g/100 g. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a theoretical basis and guidance for using Chlorella vulgaris as an industrial fermentation platform to convert broken rice into products with high nutritional value.

Mechanisms of promotion in the heterotrophic growth of Chlorella vulgaris by the combination of sodium acetate and hydrolysate of broken rice.

In order to reduce the culture cost and increase the growth rate of heterotrophic Chlorella vulgaris, the effects of hydrolysate of broken rice (HBR) combined with sodium acetate on its growth were evaluated. Results showed that the addition of 0.4 g/L of sodium acetate could stabilize the pH of the medium via the co-metabolism of acetate, ammonia and nitrate by Chlorella vulgaris. Meanwhile, isocitrate lyase activity increased threefold, which further promoted the glyoxylate cycle and the citric acid cycle, which finally provided more energy and metabolic precursors for cell growth. The biomass production (5.04 g/L), biomass productivity (1.65 g/L/day) and protein content (64.14 %) were 1.56, 1.81 and 1.77 times higher than the glucose group. This study demonstrated that HBR combined with sodium acetate could effectively promote the heterotrophic metabolism of microalgae, which provided scientific basis and guidance for industrial production of high-value products using Chlorella vulgaris as a fermentation platform.

[Research progress on the relationship between diquat poisoning and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 signaling pathway].

Since the production and use of paraquat was banned in China in 2016, the use of diquat (DQ) has been increasing and the clinical cases of DQ poisoning have also shown an increasing trend every year. The treatment of DQ poisoning is a worldwide medical problem, and there is no specific antidote. Studies have found that oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity play an important role in DQ poisoning. Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) can inhibit oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and inflammation by regulating the protein expression of upstream and downstream signaling molecules. Therefore, the role of Nrf2 signaling pathway in the poisoning and treatment of DQ has become a hot spot of attention for emergency critical care researchers in recent years. This paper reviews the relationship between Nrf2 signal pathway and DQ poisoning, in order to provide a theoretical basis for improving the treatment strategy for DQ poisoning.

Feasibility of pomelo peel dietary fiber as natural functional emulsifier for preparation of Pickering-type emulsion.

BACKGROUND: The application of Pickering emulsions stabilized by food-derived particles is of great interest, studies have focused on development of natural functional emulsifiers from agricultural byproducts. Dietary fiber (DF) has been recognizing for its excellent physiological functions. Moreover, physicochemical properties of pomelo peel DF (PDF) make it a potential emulsifier. However, pristine PDF is not suitable as emulsifier due to its compact physical structure and high hydrophobicity, which seriously limits its utilization. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of cellulase on physicochemical properties of PDF and to illustrate the feasibility of cellulase modified PDF (MPDF) as natural functional emulsifier. RESULTS: Cellulase modification significantly improved (P < 0.05) specific surface area, water-holding capacity/oil-holding capacity, viscoelasticity, hydrophobicity, and pore structure while decreased crystallinity index and particle size of PDF. Emulsion could remain stable over 30 days as MPDF concentrations up to 1 wt% and oil/water ratio 3:7. The appearance stability of emulsions was not influenced by temperature (4-60 °C), pH (3.0-12.0), and ion concentration (0-200 mmol L-1 ) which was similar to Pickering emulsions. The mechanism of MPDF as an emulsifier was mainly attributed to the combination of Pickering effect and the three-dimensional network. In addition, MPDF showed higher antioxidant capacity in emulsions than other classical emulsifiers. CONCLUSION: The results illustrated that MPDF has a favorable feasibility for preparation of stable Pickering-type emulsions, which will be a practical support for application of PDF as a natural functional emulsifier and will be helpful to realize the resource utilization of DF in pomelo industries. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhancement of nutrients removal and biomass accumulation of Chlorella vulgaris in pig manure anaerobic digestate effluent by the pretreatment of indigenous bacteria.

High concentrations of pollutants in pig manure anaerobic digestate effluent (PMADE) can severely inhibit microalgal growth. In this study, two types of PMADE (PMADE-1, PMADE-2) were pretreated with indigenous bacteria which were selected from PMADE to alleviate their inhibition for the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. Indigenous bacteria could decrease 34.04% and 47.80% of total phosphorus (TP) and turbidity in PMADE-1, and 80.81%, 43.27%, and 57.51% of COD, TP, and turbidity in PMADE-2, respectively. And no significant reduction of NH4+-N in both PMADE after 5 days pretreatment occurred. C. vulgaris failed to grow in unpretreated PMADE-2. Pretreatment of PMADE with indigenous bacteria could remarkably promote nutrients removal and cell growth of C. vulgaris compared to the unpretreated PMADE. The order of abiotic stress in the studied PMADE was COD > NH4+-N > turbidity, and it is appropriate to pretreat the PMADE with indigenous bacteria for 2-3 days.

Effect of chlortetracycline on the growth and intracellular components of Spirulina platensis and its biodegradation pathway.

Chlortetracycline (CTC) usually presents in livestock wastewater with oxytetracycline (OTC), causing damage to human health and ecosystems. It's urgent to seek low-cost and ecofriendly technology for antibiotics removal. In this study, effects of CTC and CTC + OTC (CTC:OTC= 1:1, g/g) on Spirulina platensis have been investigated. EC50 value of CTC for S. platensis was 8.76 mg/L at 96 h and risk quotient value in wastewater was 15.85. Inhibition of CTC on S. platensis gradually enhanced with increase of CTC, but CTC + OTC below 1.0 mg/L didn't harm the growth of microalgae. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and carotenoid content showed a parabolic trend with extension of time at CTC group. Chl-a synthesis gradually decreased with increase of CTC + OTC stress. High concentrations of CTC and CTC + OTC showed obvious inhibition on phycocyanin production. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) contents peaked at 1.0 mg/L CTC, corresponding to the minimum of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in S. platensis. SFA and PUFA contents decreased when CTC + OTC content was above 2.0 mg/L. CTC and CTC + OTC (both over 2.0 mg/L) stimulated production of dissolved extracellular organic matters in S. platensis. Removal efficiency of CTC by S. platensis was about 98.63-99.95% and its biodegradation pathways were hydroxylation and side-chain breakdown.

Heterotrophic cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris using broken rice hydrolysate as carbon source for biomass and pigment production.

The high cost of carbon source limits the heterotrophic culture of Chlorella. In this study, broken rice was hydrolyzed into glucose. Then, the broken rice hydrolysate (BRH) was utilized for heterotrophic cultivation of C. vulgaris instead of glucose. Results showed that algal cells released H+ when they consumed NH4+, leading to a sharp decrease in pH. Growth inhibition by acid could be avoided by using a pH buffer. Adding alkaline reagents intermittently during culture could not only reduce the amount of pH stabilizer but also obtain increased biomass production. When using Tris as pH stabilizer, the biomass productivity of C. vulgaris in BRH was the largest (1.01 g/L/d), followed by NaOH (1.00 g/L/d), and Na2CO3 (0.95 g/L/d). Using BRH instead of glucose for heterotrophic cultivation of C. vulgaris could save 89.58% of the cost of culture medium. This study developed a novel strategy for cultivating C. vulgaris heterotrophically using BRH.

Upregulation of miR-133a by adiponectin inhibits pyroptosis pathway and rescues acute aortic dissection.

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a cardiovascular emergency caused by the formation of hematoma in the middle layer of the aortic wall. Adiponectin (APN) is an adipose tissue-specific protein that has anti-inflammation and anti-atherosclerosis functions. Pyroptosis, as an inflammatory cell death, depends on the activation of caspase1, while nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) is a typical representative of the pyroptosis pathway. In this study, we aimed to find whether APN affects the AAD process. The results showed that APN overexpression (OE) inhibited the AAD development and the levels of glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol in mice model. In addition, APN OE inhibited the productions of gasdermin D (GSDMD), NLRP3, caspase1, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-18, and osteopontin (OPN), as well as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) downregulation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, NLRP3 was found to be a target gene of miR-133a and miR-133a OE showed similar effects to APN OE in attenuating the LPS-induced productions of GSDMD, NLRP3, caspase1, IL-1ß, IL-18, and OPN, as well as α-SMA downregulation in vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs). Moreover, the beneficial effects of APN OE were abolished by miR-133a knockdown in vSMCs. In conclusion, our present results indicated that the upregulation of miR-133a by APN inhibits pyroptosis pathway, which potentially rescues AAD.

Statin use and risk of tuberculosis: a systemic review of observational studies.

OBJECTIVES: Statin intake may be linked with a lower risk of several infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, which is an important cause of mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the definite impacts of statins on the risk of tuberculosis (TB) in diabetic patients and in the general population. METHODS: Four databases were thoroughly searched from inception up to July 2019. Articles in any language were included if they assessed and clarified statin intake, presented the risk of TB in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients or the general population, and reported odds ratios (ORs), relative risks (RRs), or hazard ratios (HRs) or contained data for relevant calculation. RRs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models regardless of heterogeneity quantified by Cochran's Q and I2 statistics. RESULTS: Six articles reporting observational studies involving 2 073 968 patients were included. Four reported cohort studies, one a nested case-control study, and one was an abstract. Statin use significantly reduced the risk of TB in DM patients by 22% (pooled RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.95), with severe heterogeneity (I2 = 76.1%). Statin intake also significantly decreased the risk of TB in the general population by 40% (pooled RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.50-0.71), with severe heterogeneity (I2 = 57.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Statin use is related to a considerably lower risk of TB in both DM patients and the general population. However, these conclusions should be interpreted with caution given the possible remaining confounding, and call for large-size and multicenter randomized controlled studies in the future.

[Determination of inabenfide residue in food by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/ MS) method was established for the determination of inabenfide in fruits, vegetables, tea, honey, cereals and animal-derived foods. The food samples were extracted with acetonitrile, then purified by dispersion solid phase extraction using primary secondary amine (PSA) and C18 as solid phase. The residue was determined and confirmed by HPLC-MS/MS and quantified by external standard method. The mass spectrometric detection was operated with electrospray in positive ionization mode and inabenfide was identified in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The interference of matrix was reduced by the matrix-matched calibration standard curves. The linear range of the method was 1 - 100 microg/kg, with the correlation coefficients (r2) of 0.998 - 0.999. The recoveries of inabenfide spiked in food samples were 85.2% - 112.4% at the spiked levels of 5, 10, 50 microg/kg. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 8.5%. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.08 - 1.64 microg/kg, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.30 - 5.48 microg/kg. The results showed that the proposed method is sensitive and accurate for the determination of inabenfide in foodstuffs.

[Determination of 193 pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

On the basis of optimization of solid phase extraction adsorbent, eluting solvent types and amounts, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometric method was developed for the determination of 193 pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits. The analytes were extracted from the samples using acetonitrile. The extract was cleaned-up with a C18/PSA solid-phase extractor, eluted by acetonitrile and analyzed by GC-MS under selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode using triphenyl phosphate (TPP) as internal standard. The linear range was from 10 to 1 000 microg/L for 130 pesticides, from 20 to 1 000 microg/L for 34 pesticides, from 50 to 1 000 microg/L for 26 pesticides, from 100 to 1 000 microg/L for the other 3 pesticides with the good correlation coefficients (r > or = 0.996 7). The limits of detection were 0.04 - 8.26 microg/kg. The mean recoveries of the pesticides were 71.6% -117.9%. The relative standard deviations were 3.0% - 11.8%. This method is simple, rapid, sensitive and specific. It is appropriate for the simultaneous identification and quantification of the multi-residues in fruits and vegetables.

Effects of sustained abdominal aorta compression on coronary perfusion pressures and restoration of spontaneous circulation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in swine.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was undertaken to explore whether sustained abdominal aorta compression-cardiopulmonary resuscitation (SAAC-CPR), as a means, can raise coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) as well as restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) during CPR. In the present study, we hypothesised that SAAC-CPR elevates CPP during CPR and improves ROSC, without causing liver laceration. METHODS: Animals were randomised into one of two groups (Standard CPR and SAAC-CPR). Ten domestic swine (22-25 kg) were anaesthetised, intubated and mechanically ventilated. Ventricular fibrillation was induced, and after 3 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation, the animals were treated with standard CPR (with simplex chest compression (SCC) and epinephrine) or SAAC-CPR (SCC with sustained abdominal aorta compression, without epinephrine). CPP and ROSC were compared. RESULTS: SCC with sustained abdominal aorta compression (SCC+SAAC) significantly increased CPP in comparison with SCC during CPR (p<0.05). The increase in CPP with SCC+SAAC is equivalent to that achieved with epinephrine (p>0.05). All animals in the standard CPR and SAAC-CPR groups restored spontaneous circulation. No liver damage was found in post-mortem examinations of the swine subjects. CONCLUSIONS: During CPR, non-invasive SAAC can rapidly and reversibly raise the CPP as much as can epinephrine and is especially suitable for out-of-hospital CPR.

[Protective effects of rhizoma paridis total saponins on septic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of rhizoma paridis total saponins and its mechanism on septic rats. METHODS: Septic model was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in Wistar rats. Rhizoma paridis total saponins was administered to observe its protective effects on septic rats. Blood was collected to determine serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta(IL-1 beta)levels at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after operation by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The pathological changes of lung tissue were observed with light microscope at 72 hours after operation. The peritoneal macrophages (PMPhi) in rats were isolated and the release of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in PMPhi after exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 microg/L) were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Mortality in the rhizoma paridis total saponins group was significantly lower than the CLP group (50.0% vs. 85.0%, P < 0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in serum were significantly lower than those of the CLP group at the same time (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The degree of inflammatory injury to the lung was much milder than that in the CLP group. In the in vitro experiment, it was shown that rhizoma paridis total saponins in concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L could inhibit remarkably the release of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta from LPS-stimulated PMPhi of rats (all P < 0.01). The differences in TNF-alpha levels among the groups showed no statistically significant difference(all P > 0.05). The level of IL-1 beta in 5 mg/L group was significantly higher than that of the 10 mg/L group (P < 0.05), but showed no difference with those of 20 mg/L and 40 mg/L groups (both P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rhizoma paridis total saponins can protect the CLP rats by inhibiting the activation of rat PMPhi to release cytokines and ameliorating acute lung injury.