Abstract The conversion of sesamin to asarinin is a promising route for the production of asarinin. This work reports the affection of acid type and strength of the catalyst on the conversion of sesamin to asarinin and the effect of various reaction conditions in anhydrous ethanol using phosphotungstic acid (HPW) as catalyst. The experimental results indicate that the activity of sesamin conversion is determined by strong B acids. L acids are not active for the reaction, and do not show synergy with B acids for the formation of asarinin. Reaction time, HPW dosage and temperature have significant effects on sesamin conversion. A maximum asarinin yield of 57.93% was achieved. The reaction kinetics in the temperature range 55-75 °C were studied. The kinetic curves can be successfully fitted with an opposing first-order reaction model. The activation energy (Ea) for this reaction is found to be 105.2 ± 0.4 kJ/mol.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Lower body perfusion (LBP) is a technique used to provide blood perfusion to distal organs and spinal cord during circulatory arrest. However, the effect of LBP on the prognosis of aortic arch surgery, especially on postoperative renal function, remains unclear. Methods: A total of 304 patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent total aortic arch replacement combined with frozen elephant trunk implantation between May 2016 and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into LBP group (group L, n=85) and non-LBP group (group NL, n=219). Routine lower body circulatory arrest was applied during operation in group NL, and antegrade LBP combined was applied during operation in group L. Perioperative data were recorded. Propensity score matching was used for statistical analysis. Results: After propensity score matching, 85 pairs of patients were successfully matched. Two groups significantly differed in circulatory arrest time (six minutes vs. 30 minutes, P=0.000), cross-clamping time (101 minutes vs. 92 minutes, P=0.010), minimum nasopharyngeal temperature (29.4ºC vs. 27.2ºC, P=0.000), and highest lactate value during cardiopulmonary bypass (2.3 μmol/L vs. 4.1 μmol/L, P=0.000). Considering the postoperative indicators, the drainage volume (450 mL vs. 775 mL, P=0.000) and the incidence of level I acute kidney injury (23.5% vs. 32%, P=0.046) in group L was lower than those in group NL. Conclusion: LBP resulted as a safe and feasible approach in aortic arch surgery, as it could significantly shorten the circulatory arrest time, which might reduce the incidence of postoperative level I acute kidney injury.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Lower body perfusion (LBP) is a technique used to provide blood perfusion to distal organs and spinal cord during circulatory arrest. However, the effect of LBP on the prognosis of aortic arch surgery, especially on postoperative renal function, remains unclear. Methods: A total of 304 patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent total aortic arch replacement combined with frozen elephant trunk implantation between May 2016 and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into LBP group (group L, n=85) and non-LBP group (group NL, n=219). Routine lower body circulatory arrest was applied during operation in group NL, and antegrade LBP combined was applied during operation in group L. Perioperative data were recorded. Propensity score matching was used for statistical analysis. Results: After propensity score matching, 85 pairs of patients were successfully matched. Two groups significantly differed in circulatory arrest time (six minutes vs. 30 minutes, P=0.000), cross-clamping time (101 minutes vs. 92 minutes, P=0.010), minimum nasopharyngeal temperature (29.4ºC vs. 27.2ºC, P=0.000), and highest lactate value during cardiopulmonary bypass (2.3 μmol/L vs. 4.1 μmol/L, P=0.000). Considering the postoperative indicators, the drainage volume (450 mL vs. 775 mL, P=0.000) and the incidence of level I acute kidney injury (23.5% vs. 32%, P=0.046) in group L was lower than those in group NL. Conclusion: LBP resulted as a safe and feasible approach in aortic arch surgery, as it could significantly shorten the circulatory arrest time, which might reduce the incidence of postoperative level I acute kidney injury.

RESUMO Introdução: Introdução breve: Lesões esportivas nos tendões e ligamentos do tornozelo são comuns em jogadores de futebol. Objetivo: Atingir melhora no treinamento de força especial relacionado com as lesões características do futebol depois de reabilitação de tendões e ligamentos do tornozelo. Métodos: Dois futebolistas de primeira linha foram reabilitados por treinamento multipontos de comprimento igual, arco curto e arco longo em velocidade igual, combinado com exercícios de habilidade de equilíbrio. Resultados: Havia dois músculos longos L para manter o tônus muscular, força dos flexores plantares antes e depois de quatro vezes de 96 n/m, 121 n/m, 140 n/m, 145 n/m e força dos flexores dorsais de 63 n/m, 52 n/m, 60 n/m, 74 n/m de altura. A fadiga do flexor plantar foi de 57%, 30%, 29%, 12%, 28%, 18%, 20%, 21%. Conclusões: Com o passar do tempo, o valor do momento de pico relativo do grupo de músculos flexores plantares do tornozelo direito dos dois pacientes continuou aumentando; o músculo flexor do dorso estava basicamente plano e o índice de fadiga no trabalho diminuiu gradativamente, indicando que o nível de força muscular do tornozelo direito melhorou significativamente, assim como a capacidade antifadiga e, portanto, que o tratamento de reabilitação teve efeito positivo. Nível de Evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - Investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Brief introduction: Ankle tendon and ligament sports injuries are common in football players. Objective: To continue to improve special strength training related to the characteristics of football after rehabilitation of injured ankle tendons and ligaments. Methods: Two master football sportsmen were rehabilitated by multi-point equal-length, short-arc and long-arc equal-speed training combined with balance ability exercises. Results: There were two long muscle L be maintain muscle tone plantar flexors force four times of 96 n/m, n/m 121, 140 n/m, 145 n/m than back flexors force of 63 n/m, 52 n/m, 60 n/m, 74 n/m tall. Plantar flexor fatigue was 57%, 30%, 29%, 12%, 28%, 18%, 20%, 21%. Conclusions: With the passing of time, the relative peak moment value of the right ankle plantar flexor muscle group of the two patients kept rising, the dorsiflexor muscle was basically flat, and the work fatigue index decreased step by step, indicating that the right ankle muscle strength level was significantly improved, the anti-fatigue ability was improved, and the rehabilitation treatment had a good effect. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMEN Introducción: Breve introducción: Las lesiones deportivas en los tendones y ligamentos del tobillo son comunes en los jugadores de fútbol. Objetivo: Lograr una mejora en el entrenamiento de fuerza especial relacionado con las lesiones características del fútbol tras la rehabilitación de los tendones y ligamentos del tobillo. Métodos: Dos jugadores de fútbol de alto nivel fueron rehabilitados mediante un entrenamiento multipunto de igual longitud, arco corto y arco largo a igual velocidad, combinado con ejercicios de habilidad de equilibrio. Resultados: Hubo dos músculos L largos para mantener el tono muscular, fuerza de los flexores plantares antes y después de cuatro veces de 96 n/m, 121 n/m, 140 n/m, 145 n/m y fuerza de los flexor dorsales de 63 n/m, 52 n/m, 60 n/m, 74 n/m de altura. La fatiga de los flexores plantares fue del 57%, 30%, 29%, 12%, 28%, 18%, 20%, 21%. Conclusiones: Con el paso del tiempo, el valor del momento máximo relativo del grupo de músculos flexores plantares del tobillo derecho de los dos pacientes continuó aumentando; el músculo flexor dorsal estaba básicamente plano y el índice de fatiga de trabajo disminuyó gradualmente, lo que indica que el nivel de fuerza muscular del tobillo derecho mejoró significativamente, al igual que la capacidad antifatiga, y, por tanto, que el tratamiento de rehabilitación tuvo un efecto positivo. Nivel de Evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Abstract Hibiscus Sabdariffa L. has important nutritional and medicinal value. Currently, a safe process extraction of reducing sugar from Hibiscus Sabdariffa L. calyx by biological complex enzyme system is seldom investigated. In this experiment, the pectinase and cellulase complex enzyme system was used to optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis of Hibiscus Sabdariffa L. and Box behnken was used to design the experiment. The results showed that there was significant difference in enzymolysis effect of Hibiscus Sabdariffa L under different conditions (p < 0.05). When the enzymolysis temperature was 45 °C, pH 4.5, and the mass volume ratio of material to liquid was 5g:100ml, the optimum conditions were obtained by response surface methodology: the addition amount of pectinase and cellulase complex enzyme was 0.011 g/kg, the ratio of mixed enzyme was 1.36:1, the enzymolysis time was 2.09 h, and the reducing sugar content of Hibiscus Sabdariffa L extract was 3.56 mg/ml. The experimental results of reducing sugar content of Hibiscus Sabdariffa L (3.54 ± 0.1mg / ml) were in good agreement with the predicted value of the equation fitted by response surface. The mixed enzyme system of pectinase and cellulase has the advantages of environmental protection and energy saving, which can provide guidance for industrial production.

ABSTRACT Soil moisture (SM) plays an important role in regulating the global water cycle, especially in arid areas, and is one of the main indicators of ecological environmental health. Although traditional methods can accurately measure SM at a single sample site, they are limited in large-scale and dynamic SM monitoring. Therefore, we used the Landsat images as the data source and the soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) to build the adjusted SAVI (aSAVI) index by modifying the soil adjustment parameter L and introducing the short-wave infrared band. According to the theory of temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI) and feature space, we introduced a model, combined the measured SM data (Minqin Basin, China) through a comparative analysis of four vegetation indices (NDVI, SAVI, MSAVI, aSAVI) determine the optimal model. Taking the Minqin Basin as the study area, the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of SM in three sub-regions (the entire study area, irrigated region, and periphery of the irrigated regions) were quantitatively analyzed and compared in four different periods: pre-Comprehensive Treatment Program of the Shiyang River Basin (pre-CTSRB) (2000–2005), CTSRB I (2006–2010), CTSRB II (2011–2016), and CTSRB-end (2017–2021) to evaluate the ecological restoration effects of treatment programs from the SM perspective. The results showed that: 1) SM values derived from TVDI inversion and the aSAVI were more accurate, and the model sensitivity decreased with soil depth; 2) the mean value of SM fluctuated across the four periods but decreased slightly over the entire time series. The spatial variations of the SM were characterized by a “descending then ascending” trend. Soil moisture increased in 21.35 % of areas at 0.00-0.10 m in the past 22 years, and 59.66 % at 0.10-0.20 m. There was a negative correlation between the mean variation trend of SM and the percentage of area where SM fell in different periods; 3) the treatment program positively affected the ecological restoration of the Minqin Basin from the SM perspective. The area where SM increased was larger than that of decreasing SM, especially in 0.10-0.20 m soil layer. The increase can promote growth and confer resistance to desertification.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of calcium (Ca) and phytase interaction on growth performance and bone quality in 1-42-day-old broiler chickens. A total of 624 female one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were allotted to 13 treatments with four replicates and 12 birds per replicate. A 2 × 6 factorial experiment was designed to test the combinations of 0.50% and 1.00% Ca with 0, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, and 10,000 FTU/kg phytase in the basal diet (0.25% non-phytate phosphorus, NPP). The control diet contained adequate Ca and phosphorus (P). Dietary Ca, phytase, and their interaction affected growth performance and bone mineralization of broilers at 1-42 days of age (p<0.05). The broilers fed with 1.00% Ca had lower body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) compared with the birds fed with 0.50% Ca (p<0.05). The BWG, FI, leg bone weight, and ash weight of the broilers fed with 0.25% NPP were lower than those of birds fed with the control diet (p<0.05). The addition of 500-10,000 FTU/kg phytase improved growth rate and leg bone quality, especially at 1.00% Ca (p<0.05). No differences were observed in growth performance and bone quality of 42-day-old broilers fed with 1.00% Ca + 2,500-10,000 FTU/kg phytase and the control diet (p>0.05). These data indicated that high doses of phytase (2,500-10,000 FTU/kg) alleviate the negative effects of Ca and P imbalance (Ca-to-NPP ratio = 4.0) on growth performance and bone mineralization of broiler chickens.

Cyanogen chloride, as a systemic toxic agent, can cause death rapidly. In this paper, a non-dispersive infrared sensor was designed for the infrared absorption detection of cyanogen chloride at 800 cm-1. The roughness of the internal coating material was analyzed by experiments, and the gold-plated gas chamber was selected. The light path propagation of different cross-section gas chambers was simulated, and the circular section gas chamber was selected to increase the infrared detector signal. The effect of flow rate on voltage was studied. The standard curve between voltage and concentration was obtained under the optimal condition of 0.4 L min-1. The maximum response time was 19 s, and RSD was less than 2%. The interference experiment results showed that common gases entering the gas chamber do not cause interference. The non-dispersive infrared sensor for cyanogen chloride has good stability and detects cyanogen chloride in real-time.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate effects of vitamin A (VA) and vitamin K3 (VK3) on immune function and intestinal antioxidant capacity of aged laying hens. In a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, the diets of 1080 Roman Pink laying hens (87 weeks old) was formulated with deficient, adequate and excess VA and VK3, including 0, 7000 and 14000 IU/kg VA and 0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg VK3 for 8 weeks. Interactive effects between VA and VK3 were observed that VA and VK3 decreased the splenetic mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), but increased the plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) content and jejunal mRNA expression of nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2). Hens fed adequate or excess VA had higher spleen index, mRNA expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in spleen, sIgA content, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase and total dismutase (T-SOD) activity, and mRNA expression of polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) in jejunum and lower mRNA expression of IL-1β in jejunum and iNOS, TNF-α in spleen. Furthermore, adequate or excess VK3 significantly increased plasma IgG content, the CAT, T-SOD and total antioxidant capacity activities, up-regulated the mRNA expression of pIgR, Nrf2, SOD1 and CAT in jejunum and down-regulated the mRNA expression of iNOS and TNF-α in spleen. In conclusion, dietary addition of adequate VA (7000 IU/kg) and VK3 (2.0 mg/kg) improved the immune function and intestine antioxidant capacity of aged laying hens and excess levels did not exhibit superior effects.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyse the incidence of long and short corrected QT (QTc) in a healthy sample of the population of Changsha in China. Methods: Standard 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) were performed on 4025 subjects in Changsha of China, whose age ranged from 6 minutes after birth to 83 years, between January 1993 and December 2012. Heart rate and QT interval were measured and recorded. Corrected QT was calculated with Bazett´s formula (QTc = QT/RR0.5). All recruited individuals had taken healthy examination, ruling out general health issue, in The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 16.0 software (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The incidence of short QTc was 7.13% (287/4025 cases). The peak values of the incidence were in the 30–40 years group (15.71%). The low values were in the 1–3 months group and 3–6 months group (0%, 0.76%), respectively. The incidence of long QTc was 3.16% (127/4025 cases). The values diminished significantly after adulthood. The low values were in the age groups of 18–30 years (0.86%) and 30–40 years (0.71%), respectively. After the age of 50 years, the incidence of long QTc increased with age 50–60 years and 60–70 years and 70–83 years (7.89%, 9.06%, 14.06%), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the genders (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The peak incidences of long and short QTc existed in two separate age groups in the healthy sample. The peak incidence of short QTc was in the age group of 18–40 years, and the peak incidence of long QTc was in the age group beyond the 50 years. For these two age groups, it was recommended to pay close attention to the changes in their QTc in order to prevent cardiovascular events.

ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a male patient from Xinjiang with fever of unknown origin and significant weight loss for more than 1 month. He was admitted to hospital with negative Rose Bengal test (RBT) and decreased leucocyte count. Ultrasound revealed splenomegaly and abdominal computed tomography, which showed multiple hypodense splenic nodules. The patient was suspected of lymphoma or tuberculosis. Pathological biopsy suggested brucellosis infection following splenectomy. Anti-Brucella treatment was effective and his temperature gradually returned to normal. During the follow-up, the patient's RBT result turned to positive and he was instructed to continue the anti-Brucella drug regimen. His temperature, weight, white blood cell count, other laboratory examinations, and imaging findings all returned to normal during the 6-month follow-up after the treatment.

ABSTRACT Heat stress induces oxidative stress, and reduces body antioxidant metabolite levels, which can affect poultry production performance. Dietary antioxidants protect birds against the adverse effects of heat stress. The effects of increasing concentrations of dietary curcumin on the antioxidant parameters of layers maintained under high-temperature conditions for nine weeks were evaluated. Roman laying hens (n = 336, 22 weeks old, 1420 g BW) were divided into three treatment groups. The first group served as a thermoneutral control (kept at 25 ± 1 °C). The second group was exposed to high temperatures (32 ± 1 °C, 6 h/d), given a basal diet. The third group was further divided into five treatment groups (100, 150, 200, 250, 300 mg/kg Curcumin) fed a basal diet (treatments H1, H2, H3, H4, H5) under high temperatures conditions (32 ± 1 °C, 6 hours/day). As a result of this study, total superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in H2 and H3 groups, and total antioxidant capacity was higher in H2, H3, and H5 groups. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher in the H3 group. Malondialdehyde concentration was lowered in curcumin supplemented hens compared with control groups hens. Laying hens in all curcumin treatment groups had slightly higher activities of CAT, SOD, GSH-Px, and T-AOC in the liver, heart, and lungs, compared with heat stressed control group. It was concluded that dietary curcumin given to laying hens under heat stress may enhance their antioxidant status, and alleviate the detrimental effects of stressful environmental conditions.

In this study, the effects of sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) leaves (SL) on the biochemical parameters and metabolomic profiling in Altay lamb (Ovis aries) were observed. Sixty six-month-old male Altay lambs (body weight 28.0 ± 3.5 kg) were randomly assigned to four groups (n=15). The experimental groups were named as CON, 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5%. The group CON, contained animals fed with a basal diet. Animals of the other groups were fed a treatment diet consisting of 2.5% (Group 2.5%), 5.0% (Group 5.0%) and 7.5% (Group 7.5%) SL. The experimental period lasted 56 days. The results showed that the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased with the increase in the levels of dietary SL. Dietary SL showed a direct relationship with total protein (TP), albumin, globulin and total cholesterol (TC) content of the experimental animals. However, an indirect relationship was observed between dietary SL and the concentration of urea nitrogen (UN). The concentrations of glucose, high -density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) showed quadratic change. Additional changes occurred in the endogenous metabolites involving multiple pathways. The pathways were tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the metabolism of protein and amino acid and the metabolism of fatty acid and steroid. The changes in metabolites primarily revealed an increase in amino acids and carbohydrates and a decrease in lipid metabolites. These findings provide a comprehensive insight into the effects of the metabolic aspects of sea-buckthorn leaves on Altay lambs. In addition, the present research results provide a better understanding to the development and utilization of sea-buckthorn as a healthy additive for small ruminant production.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to analyse the impact of dietary vitamin E supplementation on laying performance, serum reproductive hormones concentration and gene expression in ovary and follicles of anti-season breeding goose. A total of 210 anti-season breeding geese were divided into seven treatments with six replications. Each group was supplied with diets containing different vitamin E (DL-α-tocopherol acetate) contents (0, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320mg/kg). We observed that the egg production and laying rate improved significantly at doses of 10 and 80 mg/kg, while the highest egg weight appeared in the 320 mg/kg group. Meantime, 80 mg/kg of vitamin E supplementation significantly improved the concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) in serum (p<0.05). Dietary vitamin E supplementation significantly enhanced mRNA expression of FSHR, LHR and ESR1 at a dose of 80mg/kg, while PRLR increased at doses of 10 and 20mg/kg (p<0.05). It was found that the mRNA expression of Dicer increased at doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg of vitamin E supplementation in the ovary, SWF, LWF and SYF, respectively. Thence, Dietary vitamin E supplementation could improve egg laying performance, plasma reproductive hormones and the mRNA expression of reproductive hormone receptor genes in ovary, as well as the mRNA expression of Dicer in ovary, SWF, LWF and SYF. It was supposed that 80 mg/kg of vitamin E supplementation in dietary was appropriate to improve the fertility of anti-season breeding Xingguo grey goose.

Lotus leaf is gaining growing popularity due to its various benefits and widely usage. In this paper, ten flavonoids in lotus leaf extract were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Centrifugal ultrafiltration combined liquid chromatography was used to screen alpha-amylase inhibitors from ten flavonoids mixture and the binding degrees ranged from 2.34 to 94.1%. The alpha-amylase inhibition and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant activity of ten flavonoids were verified as well. Apigenin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin with relatively higher binding degrees showed higher inhibition on alpha-amylase as well. The interactions between these flavonoids and alpha-amylase were investigated by spectroscopic method. As a result, the fluorescence quenching could be considered as static quenching because the quenching rate constant (Kq) values were higher than 2.0 × 1010 L mol -1 s-1. The binding constants (log10 Ka) of ten flavonoids were in the range of 5.971 to 7.417 L mol-1. The hydrogenation of C2=C3 double bond of apigenin and quercetin decreased the affinity for alpha-amylase (1.92- and 2.82-fold). The hydroxylation on 3 and 3' position decreased the affinity for alpha-amylase. Moreover, the glycosylation with different sugar moiety improved in varying degrees of affinity. The hydrogen bond force might be important in the binding between alpha-amylase and flavonoids.