Integration of food raw materials, food microbiology, and food additives: systematic research and comprehensive insights into sweet sorghum juice, Clostridium tyrobutyricum TGL-A236 and bio-butyric acid.

Introduction: Sweet sorghum juice is a typical production feedstock for natural, eco-friendly sweeteners and beverages. Clostridium tyrobutyricum is one of the widely used microorganisms in the food industry, and its principal product, bio-butyric acid is an important food additive. There are no published reports of Clostridium tyrobutyricum producing butyric acid using SSJ as the sole substrate without adding exogenous substances, which could reach a food-additive grade. This study focuses on tailoring a cost-effective, safe, and sustainable process and strategy for their production and application. Methods: This study modeled the enzymolysis of non-reducing sugars via the first/second-order kinetics and added food-grade diatomite to the hydrolysate. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometer, full-scale laser diffraction method, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the cell double-staining assay, transmission electron microscopy, and Oxford nanopore technology sequencing. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, pathway and process enrichment analysis, and homology modeling were conducted for mutant genes. Results: The treated sweet sorghum juice showed promising results, containing 70.60 g/L glucose and 63.09 g/L fructose, with a sucrose hydrolysis rate of 98.29% and a minimal sucrose loss rate of 0.87%. Furthermore, 99.62% of the colloidal particles and 82.13% of the starch particles were removed, and the concentrations of hazardous substances were effectively reduced. A food microorganism Clostridium tyrobutyricum TGL-A236 with deep utilization value was developed, which showed superior performance by converting 30.65% glucose and 37.22% fructose to 24.1364 g/L bio-butyric acid in a treated sweet sorghum juice (1:1 dilution) fermentation broth. This titer was 2.12 times higher than that of the original strain, with a butyric acid selectivity of 86.36%. Finally, the Genome atlas view, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and evolutionary genealogy of genes: Non-supervised Orthologous (eggNOG) functional annotations, three-dimensional structure and protein cavity prediction of five non-synonymous variant genes were obtained. Conclusion: This study not only includes a systematic process flow and in-depth elucidation of relevant mechanisms but also provides a new strategy for green processing of food raw materials, improving food microbial performance, and ensuring the safe production of food additives.

ED50 value of remifentanil in inhibiting coughing during extubation in children with snoring.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effective dose 50% (ED50) value of remifentanil in inhibiting coughing during extubation in children with snoring. Methods: The subjects were children who scored a grade I in the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) metric and who were undergoing tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy) under general anesthesia. Using Dixon's up-and-down sequential method, the initial infusion rate of remifentanil was 0.06 µg/kg/min, and the difference between the infusion rates of the two adjacent groups was 0.01 µg/kg/min. If a child had no cough response during extubation, the infusion rate for the next child was reduced by 0.01 µg/kg/min. If that child had cough response, the infusion rate for the next child was increased by 0.01 µg/kg/min, and the test was terminated when seven pairs of children with positive-negative alternating results were obtained. The ED50 value and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by probit regression. The times for extubation, awakening, agitation, and respiratory complications after extubation were compared between the two groups. Results: 1) The ED50 value of a continuous infusion of remifentanil required to inhibit the cough response of children during extubation was 0.042 µg/kg/min, and the 95% confidence interval was 0.025-0.062 µg/kg/min. 2) The total dosage and infusion rate of remifentanil in the cough suppression group were higher than those in the cough group (p < 0.05), but the differences in the times for extubating and awakening between the two groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). 3) There was no correlation between the infusion rate of remifentanil and the time for extubating and awakening in the cough suppression group; the r values were 0.13 and 0.12, respectively, and p > 0.05. 4) The differences in postoperative respiratory complications between the two groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The ED50 value of a continuous infusion of remifentanil required to inhibit the cough response of children during extubation after tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy) was 0.042 µg/kg/min, and a low-dose infusion of remifentanil does not affect the times for awakening and extubating in children.

Effect of positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation on plasma nitric oxide, endothelin-1 and vascular celladhesion molecule-1 levels in patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

BACKGROUND: During uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), cardiovascular adverse events may occur which can be harmful to patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the protective ventilation strategy on the function of vascular endothelial cells. METHODS: Forty obstructive apnea syndrome (OSA) patients who underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) were enrolled. Patients were randomly divided into the control group (group C, PEEP = 0 cm H2O) and PEEP group (group P, PEEP = 5 cm H2O). Each group (n= 20) received intermittent volume controlled ventilation (VCV) with tidal volume 6 ml/kg of the predicted body weight, I:E 1:2, rate titrated for ETCO2 35-45, FiO2 0.7. Blood from the radial artery was sampled for blood gas analysis at four time points: the fifth minute of inhaling pure oxygen (T0), after tracheal intubation (T1), at the end of the operation (T2), and 20 minutes after extubation (T3). Three ml of arterial blood was retained, preserved at -20∘C after serum isolation, and plasma nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and vascular celladhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with group C, plasma ET-1 at T3 decreased in group P, and plasma NO levels at T2 and T3 increased (P< 0.05). Compared with samples collected at T0, plasma VCAM-1 levels at T1, T2 and T3 increased in group C, while plasma VCAM-1 levels at T2 and T3 decreased in group P (P< 0.05). Compared with group C, plasma VCAM-1 levels T2 and T3 decreased in group P (P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) ventilation has a protective effect on vascular endothelial cell function in patients during UPPP.

Development of a new auxiliary heterotopic partial liver transplantation technique using a liver cirrhosis model in minipigs: Preliminary report of eight transplants.

This study aimed to develop a new auxiliary heterotopic partial liver transplantation (AHPLT) technique in minipigs using a model of liver cirrhosis. Based on our previous study, 14 minipigs were induced to cirrhosis by administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) through intraperitoneal injection. All of the cirrhotic animals were utilized as recipients. The donor's liver was placed on the recipient's splenic bed, and the anastomosis was performed as follows: end-to-end anastomosis between the donor's portal vein and the recipient's splenic vein, end-to-side anastomosis between the donor's suprahepatic vena cava and the recipient's suprahepatic vena cava, and end-to-end anastomosis between the donor's hepatic artery and the recipient's splenic artery. The common bile duct of the donor was intubated and bile was collected with an extracorporeal bag. Vital signs, portal vein pressure (PVP), hepatic venous pressure (HVP) and portal vein pressure gradient (PVPG) were monitored throughout the transplantation. All 8 minipigs that developed liver cirrhosis were utilized to establish the new AHPLT; 7 cases survived. Following the surgical intervention, the PVP and PVPG of the recipients were lower than those prior to the operation (P<0.05), whereas the PVP and PVPG of the donors increased significantly compared to those of the normal animals (P<0.05). A new operative technique for AHPLT has been successfully described herein using a model of liver cirrhosis.

[Bioactivity and chemical composition of essential oil from Zanthoxylum beecheyanum var. alatum leaves against Culex pipens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)].

The repellent activity of steam-distilled essential oil from Zanthoxlum beecheyamum var. alatum fresh leaves against Culex pipens quinquefasciatus was evaluated according to the "Laboratory Efficacy Criterions of Public Health Insecticides for Pesticide Registration-Repellent (GB/T 17322. 10-1998)" with some modifications in test procedure, the fumigating insecticidal activity of the essential oil to Cx. pipens quinquefasciatus adults was assessed by the "Efficacy Test Methods of Public Health Insecticides for Pesticide Registration-Method of Laboratory Efficacy Test for Electric Mat (GB 13917.5-1992)", and the larvicidal and pupicidal activities of the essential oil against Cx. pipens quinquefasciatus were investigated by immersion method in laboratory. Besides, the chemical components of the essential oil were analyzed and determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. At the dosage of 1.5 mg x cm(-2), the essential oil provided 100% protection against laboratory-reared female blood-starved individuals of Cx. pipens quinquefasciatus for (6.54 +/- 0.17) h. The 24 h LC50 value of the essential oil for Cx. pipens quinquefasciatus adults was 6.895 microg x cm(-3) when the fumigating dosage was 11.850 microg x cm(-3), and the KT50 value of the essential oil for the adults was 6.46 min. The 24 h LC50 value of the essential oil for IV instar larvae was 119.020 microg x ml(-1). Seventeen compounds in the essential oil were identified, accounting for 97.4% of the total. This essential oil exhibited high repellent activity and remarkable toxicity against Cx. pipens quinquefasciatus.

Improved separation efficiency of neurotransmitters on a native printed capillary electrophoresis microchip simply by manipulating electroosmotic flow.

Separation and determination of dopamine and epinephrine with end-channel electrochemical (EC) detection integrated on a native printed microchip capillary electrophoresis (CE) system was investigated. Factors influencing the separation and detection were investigated and optimized. Results show manipulating EOF, which can be easily achieved by adjusting buffer pH, is a simple and effective way to achieve the baseline separation of dopamine and epinephrine in native polymeric microchips. Without surface modification of microchannel, printed microchips with advantages of low cost and easy preparation can achieve high performance like other microfluidic devices.