Abstract Tea polysaccharides was one of the active ingredients of Qingzhuan dark tea, which had antioxidant, anti-tumor, and immune-enhancing effects. The complexation of metal ions of tea polysaccharides was one of the current research hotspots. It can combine the advantages of tea polysaccharides and their complexed trace metal elements, and had great potential development. In this study, the trace element-copper required by the human body was used for complexation with Qingzhuan dark tea polysaccharides, and the structure was characterized by various chemical methods. The copper complexes of Qingzhuan dark tea polysaccharides were characterized by UV spectroscopy, FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, AFM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The tests results show that it was successfully complexed with tea polysaccharides. Meanwhile, the Qingzhuan dark tea polysaccharides copper complex compound (termed TPS-Cu) showed higher scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical and ABTS free radical than the tea polysaccharides (termed TPS). Therefore, TPS-Cu can be used as a potentially effective and stable copper supplement and preventive agent.

Abstract The effective selenylated polysaccharides (refer as TPS-Se) with an average molecular weight (MW) of 3.109 × 104 Da was synthesized by the reduction of sodium selenite with ascorbic acid in the presence of Qingzhuan Dark Tea polysaccharides (TPS). The selenium (Se) content of TPS-Se was up to 37.05%. The differences between TPS and TPS-Se were compared in morphology, structure, antioxidant activity, and molecular weight using FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), SEM, AFM, and Integrated thermal gravimetric analysis. The results indicated that Se4+ was reduced to Se0 by ascorbic acid. Further, the Se0 atoms aggregate into Se nuclei and bind to the C=O from TPS. Also, TPS-Se exhibited higher DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging abilities than TPS. This difference may be attributed to the fact that Se has good antioxidant activity. The test results demonstrated that TPS-Se was prepared successfully by reducing sodium selenite with ascorbic acid, which exhibited a higher radical-scavenging ability. Finally, LD50 value of 136.89 mg/kg, with a 95% confidence interval of 102.82~182.82 mg/kg, was determined by gavage administration for TPS-Se’s.

Abstract Anaemia, caused by iron deficiency, is a common disease in some parts of the world. A traditional medicine for treating anaemia resulting from iron deficiency is inorganic iron, which is represented by ferrous sulfate. However, serious irritation to the gastrointestinal tract is one of the side effects caused by inorganic iron. We extracted the tea polysaccharide (TPS) from Qingzhuan Dark Tea and employed a green technology to prepare a polysaccharide–iron [TPS-Fe(III)] complex. We further characterised the structure through thermogravimetric analysis, molecular weight analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic mechanics microscopy. We performed a comparative evaluation of the antioxidant properties of the TPS-Fe(III) complex and TPS. The results indicated that the antioxidant activity of the TPS-Fe(III) complex is superior to that of TPS. The scavenging activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and 2,2'-azobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity assays and malondialdehyde inhibition assay. The structure of the TPS-Fe(III) complex formed by the complexation of the tea polysaccharide with iron ions was highly stable, which significantly improved its antioxidant activity in vitro. Thus, the TPS-Fe (III) complex can provide additional health benefits compared with other typical non-antioxidant iron nutritional supplements.

Lung adenocarcinomas are usually sensitive to radiation therapy, but some develop resistance. Radiation resistance can lead to poor patient prognosis. Studies have shown that lung adenocarcinoma cells (H1299 cells) can develop radioresistance through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and this process is regulated by miRNAs. However, it is unclear which miRNAs are involved in the process of EMT. In our present study, we found that miR-183 expression was increased in a radioresistant lung adenocarcinoma cell line (H1299R cells). We then explored the regulatory mechanism of miR-183 and found that it may be involved in the regulation of zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) expression and mediate EMT in lung adenocarcinoma cells. qPCR results showed that miR-183, ZEB1, and vimentin were highly expressed in H1299R cells, whereas no difference was observed in E-cadherin expression. Western blot results showed that ZEB1 and vimentin were highly expressed in H1299R cells, while E-cadherin expression was decreased. When miR-183 expression was inhibited in H1299R cells, radiation resistance, proliferation, and cell migration were decreased. The expression of ZEB1 and vimentin in H1299R cells was decreased, while the expression of E-cadherin was increased. Moreover, miR-183 overexpression in H1299 cells enhanced radiation resistance, proliferative capacity, and cell migration ability. The expression of ZEB1 and vimentin in H1299 cells was increased, while that of E-cadherin was decreased. In conclusion, miR-183 may promote EMT and radioresistance in H1299 cells, and targeting the miR-183-ZEB1 signaling pathway may be a promising approach for lung cancer treatment.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo é investigar a diversidade genética da uva ‘Zuijinxiang’ e de suas plantas F1 reprodutoras mutantes. Foram selecionadas as melhores plantas mutantes com potencial e valor genético. Utilizaram-se como objeto de pesquisa 50 plantas individuais mutantes obtidas de sementes de uva irradiadas com 137Cs-γ ‘Zuijinxiang’, e a tecnologia de marcadores moleculares SCoT para análise de diversidade genética e variação, e foi realizada uma pesquisa de agrupamento. Os resultados mostraram que: (1) 36 iniciadores de SCoT produziram polimorfismos abundantes, e os resultados de amplificação mostraram bandas claras óbvias, e a eficiência de amplificação e taxa de polimorfismo foram de 100%. (2) Um total de 221 bandas foi amplificado por 36 iniciadores, dos quais 175 eram ricos em polimorfismo, a porcentagem polimórfica média foi de 80,3% e o coeficiente médio de similaridade genética foi de 0,916. (3) O número de alelos observados (Na) variou de 4 a 8, com uma média de 6,1389; o número de alelos efetivos (Ne) variou de 1,2772 a 5,6322 com uma média de 3,5968; a heterozigosidade desejada (He), o intervalo é de 0,2192 a 0,8344, a média é de 0,6965; a heterozigosidade observada (Ho) varia de 0,1656 a 0,7808 com uma média de 0,3035; o índice de diversidade genética (H) de Nei varia de 0,2170 a 0,8224 com uma média de 0,6863; Shannon-Wiener o índice (I) varia de 0,5186 a 1,8597 com uma média de 1,4517. (4) O agrupamento de 51 materiais da UPGMA mostrou que os materiais de teste poderiam ser divididos em três grupos quando a distância genética era de 0,856. O experimento mostra que a diversidade genética dos recursos de germoplasma de variação de radiação “Zuijinxiang” é rica. Além disso, a tecnologia de marcadores moleculares da SCoT pode distinguir os materiais com uma distância genética próxima, e pode ser usada para técnicas de identificação precoce de materiais mutantes da uva. Este estudo fornece uma base teórica para o desenvolvimento de germoplasma mutante excelente de uvas “Zuijinxiang”.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study is to research the genetic diversity of the ‘ Zuijinxiang ’ grape and its mutant breeding F1 plants, we screened the excellent mutant plants with potential breeding value. 50 mutated single plants obtained from 137Cs-γ irradiated ‘Zuijinxiang’ grape seeds were used as research objects, and SCoT molecular marker technology was used for genetic diversity and variation analysis, and clustering research was carried out. The results showed that: (1) 36 SCoT primers produced abundant polymorphisms, and the amplification results showed obvious bright bands, and the amplification efficiency and polymorphism rate were 100%. (2) A total of 221 bands were amplified by 36 primers, of which 175 were rich in polymorphism, the average polymorphic percentage was 80.3%, and the average genetic similarity coefficient was 0.916. (3) The number of observed alleles (Na) ranged from 4 to 8, with an average of 6.1389; the number of effective alleles (Ne) ranged from 1.2772 to 5.6322 with an average of 3.5968; the desired heterozygosity (He) The range is from 0.2192 to 0.8344, the average is 0.6965; the observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranges from 0.1656 to 0.7808 with an average of 0.3035; the Nei’s gene diversity index (H) ranges from 0.2170 to 0.8224 with an average of 0.6863; Shannon-Wiener The index (I) ranges from 0.5186 to 1.8597 with an average of 1.4517. (4) UPGMA clustering of 51 materials showed that the test materials could be divided into three groups when the genetic distance was 0.856. The experiment shows that the genetic diversity of the ‘Zuijinxiang’ radiation variation germplasm resources is rich. In addition, SCoT molecular marker technology can distinguish the materials with close genetic distance, and can be used for early identification techniques of grape mutant materials. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of excellent mutant germplasm of ‘Zuijinxiang’ grapes.

ABSTRACT A fermentative acetic acid producing strain, named CSJ-3, was isolated from sludge and identified as Pseudomonas sp. on the basis of 16S rRNA gene analysis. The effects of cultivation conditions on the production of acetic acid by Pseudomonas sp. CSJ-3 were investigated in batch fermentation, and the maximum yield of acetic acid reached up to 0.49 % during 30 h cultivation under the optimum growth condition, including fermentation temperature of 37.0 ºC, fermentation pH of 4.50, ethanol concentration of 8 %, carbon source (glucose) amount of 10 g/L, and rotation speed of 120 r/min. When ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was used for the mutation in culture medium to improve the yield of acetic acid, the results showed that the yield of acetic acid reached up to 0.59 %. UV and FTIR confirmed that acetic acid was the major fermented product.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about metabolic factors in cirrhotic patients in China. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the prevalence of both metabolic factors and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver cirrhosis in China. METHODS: The medical records of 1,582 patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis from June 2003 to July 2013 at Daping Hospital (Chongqing, China) were retrospectively reviewed through a computer-generated search. RESULTS: Serum hepatitis B virus surface antigen was present in 1,083 (68.5%) patients, and hepatitis B was found to be the only etiological factor in 938 (59.3%) of all patients. Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and arterial hypertension were observed in 229 (14.5%), 159 (10.1%), and 129 (8.2%) patients, respectively. From 2012-2013, the proportion of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver cirrhosis increased to 3.2%, whereas the average proportion of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver cirrhosis in the previous ten years was 1.9%. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was much higher in males than in females (6.3% vs. 3.7%, respectively, p=0.036). Obesity and diabetes mellitus did not significantly increase the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the whole cirrhotic group. The presence of hepatitis B virus was the only risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although hepatitis B virus remains the main etiology of liver cirrhosis in China, steatohepatitis-related liver cirrhosis is increasing in frequency. Hepatitis B virus was the sole significant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in the whole cirrhotic group in the present study, in contrast to obesity and diabetes mellitus, for which only a trend of increased hepatocellular carcinoma was found.

OBJECTIVES: Familial steroid-sensitive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is rare, and only approximately 3% of patients have affected siblings. METHODS: Herein, we report seven cases of patients with steroid-sensitive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome from three Chinese families. Mutational screening of the Nphs2 gene was performed in all the patients. RESULTS: All seven of the familial steroid-sensitive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome cases in our sample exhibited minimal change disease, and one case also presented with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, according to the renal pathology. No significant was associations were found between Nphs2 gene mutations and the onset of proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome in these familial cases. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of minimal change disease is important, but it is not an unusual finding in patients with familial steroid-sensitive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, which appears to be clinically benign and genetically distinct from other types of nephrosis.