In Vitro Peptidoglycan Synthesis Which is Very Sensitive to Cephalexin and Penicillin G in Escherichia coli: Presumable Septum-forming Reaction Sequence

Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium, the fermented and dried leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla SER. var. thunbergii MAKINO, suppressed D-galactosamine-induced liver injury by 85.2% when added to the diet at 1% and fed to rats for fifteen days. The hepatoprotective effect is more potent than that of a milk thistle extract and turmeric powder. Some fractionated extracts showed hepatoprotective activity in the D-galactosamine-induced in vitro liver injury model.     

Characterization of cross protection of Swine-Origin Influenza Virus (S-OIV) H1N1 and reassortant H5N1 influenza vaccine in BALB/c mice given a single-dose vaccination

Background

Influenza virus has antigen drift and antigen shift effect, vaccination with some influenza vaccine might not induce sufficient immunity for host to the threat of other influenza virus strains. S-OIV H1N1 and H5N1 influenza vaccines in single-dose immunization were evaluated in mice for cross protection to the challenge of A/California/7/2009 H1N1 or NIBRG-14 H5N1 virus.

Results

Both H1N1 and H5N1 induced significant homologous IgG, HAI, and microneutralization antibody responses in the mice, while only vaccines plus adjuvant produced significant heterogeneous IgG and HAI antibody responses. Both alum and MPLA adjuvants significantly reduced the S-OIV H1N1 vaccine dose required to elicit protective HAI antibody titers from 0.05 μg to 0.001 μg. Vaccines alone did not protect mice from challenge with heterogeneous influenza virus, while H5N1 vaccine plus alum and MPLA adjuvants did. Mouse body weight loss was also less significant in the presence of adjuvant than in the vaccine without adjuvant. Furthermore, both H1N1 and H5N1 lung viral titers of immunized mice were significantly reduced post challenge with homologous viruses.

Conclusion

Only in the presence of MPLA adjuvant could the H5N1 vaccine significantly reduce mouse lung viral titers post H1N1 virus challenge, and not vice versa. MPLA adjuvant induced cross protection with a single dose vaccination to the challenge of heterogeneous influenza virus in mice. Lung viral titer seemed to be a better indicator compared to IgG, neutralization antibody, and HAI titer to predict survival of mice infected with influenza virus.     

Reducing Copper Availability in Contaminated Soils Using Drinking Water Treatment Residuals

Copper mobility and availability in soil environments is largely controlled by Cu sorption reactions as well as its chemical forms. In this study, equilibrium, kinetic batch experiments, and a chemical fractionation scheme were carried out to evaluate effects of drinking water treatment residual (DWTR) application on sorption and bioavailability of Cu in three arid zone soils having different properties. Distinct differences in the amounts of Cu sorbed among the different soils were observed where highest sorption was associated with clay, OM, and CEC contents. The quantity of Cu sorbed on the three studied soils drastically increased as a result of increasing rates of DWTR application from 2% to 12% (w/w). Freundlich distribution coefficient (K_f) values indicate that Cu sorption affinities for the studied soils followed the trend Typic torrifluvent (TF) > Typic calciorthids (CO) > Typic torripsamment (TP) soils. The sorption of Cu was initially fast with 95, 92, and 73% of Cu sorbed on TF and CO and TP unamended soils, respectively, in the first 60 min. Following the initial fast reaction, the sorption reaction continued for 63 h, after which only a small amount of additional sorption occurred (2–6%). The parabolic diffusion law and the power function models described Cu sorption kinetics in all the sorbents studied equally well as the R² values were quite high and SE values were low. Addition of DWTR drastically reduced non-residual (NORS) Cu and simultaneously increased residual (RS) Cu fractions. At 12% application rate, DWTR decreased NORS-Cu in nonamended soils from 10.9 to 4.2, from 50.2 to 21.5, and from 78.6 to 33.3% in TF, CO, and TP soils, respectively. Our results suggest that as the application rate of DWTR to Cu-contaminated soils increased, more Cu was associated with the residual fractions, which decreased potential Cu mobility and bioavailability in these soils.     

樟芝发酵滤液干膏对酒精性肝病小鼠的保护作用

研究樟芝发酵滤液干膏（剂量为350,700和1 050mg/kg）对慢性酒精喂养加急性酒精灌胃的酒精性肝病小鼠模型的保肝作用。结果表明,樟芝发酵滤液干膏能显著降低小鼠血清谷丙转氨酶（ALT）和谷草转氨酶（AST）活力;降低小鼠血清游离脂肪酸（NEFA）、总胆固醇（TC）和甘油三酯（TG）的水平;H&E染色和油红O染色显示樟芝发酵滤液干膏可以改善肝组织脂质堆积。研究结果表明樟芝发酵滤液干膏对酒精性肝病有改善作用,可能是通过保护肝细胞、肝组织及整体肝脏降低了肝功酶的释放,减少肝脏脂质堆积来对酒精性肝病起到保护作用,可用于相关功能性食品及药品的开发。     

关龙胆地上部分的保肝作用

选用D-半乳糖胺、硫代乙酰胺、四氯化碳三个肝损伤毒物构建肝损伤模型,研究了关龙胆地上部分对于不同机制引起的肝损伤的保肝作用。实验结果表明关龙胆地上部分有保肝作用,可降低各种肝损伤模型的ALT(谷丙转氨酶)、AST(谷草转氨酶)、AKP(碱性磷酸酶)等,从而证明了关龙胆地上部分有一定药用价值,用全草取代地下部分入药有一定的可行性。     

Phytochemicals,antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on diethylnitrosamine toxicity in rats

Context: Chronic liver damage has serious medical consequences.

Objective: To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of dry Zingiber officinale (ginger) and its essential (volatile) oil against diethylnitrosamine (DEN) toxicity in rats.

Materials and methods: Phenols and flavonoids components were characterized in dry ginger using HPLC-UV instrument while ginger essential oil (E.O.) was investigated via GC-MS technique. Antioxidant activity was determined in vitro. In rat model, ginger was administrated for 2 months. Lipid profile, antioxidant biomarkers, liver functions and histopathology were assessed.

Results: Chlorogenic acid (63.85?ppm) and hesperidin (156.91?ppm) are among the major phenolic and flavonoid constituents in dry ginger. Curcumene (15.21%) and linalool (13.47%) represent the main E.O. constituents. In rats treated with ginger E.O., a significant elevation in serum HDL (31.14%) was accompanied by a decrease in LDL (55.14%). A significant decrease in serum ALT and ALP was reported (56.85% and 53.84%, respectively). Serum GSH-Px activity has significantly increased 75.06%. Meanwhile, E.O. showed anticancer potential against HepG2 cell line (IC₅₀?=?40?µg/mL). Liver histopathological examinations confirmed the protective effect against abnormalities.

Conclusion: Ginger was able to reduce the severity of DEN-cytotoxicity in rats, which suggests a novel antioxidant role originating from this medicinal plant.     

Effect of pretreatment with paste and sauce extract made using Tenebrio molitor larvae on ethanol‐damaged HepG2 cells

In this study, we made koji using protein‐rich Tenebrio molitor larvae (TML) inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae, and then used the koji to prepare a paste and a sauce. The TML koji showed the highest amino nitrogen, protease activity, and free amino acids content when it was fermented for 72 h after inoculation with 0.8% A. oryzae. The koji was aged in 20% saltwater for 50 days, and then the paste and sauce were separated. To evaluate the effect of TML paste and sauce on ethanol (EtOH)‐damaged hepatocytes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) were measured in EtOH‐treated HepG2 cells after pretreatment with TML paste and sauce extract. As a result, we confirmed that TML paste and sauce extracts lowered the AST and ALT content in the medium, compared to soybean sauce and paste extracts. TML paste and sauce extract significantly reduced the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and interleukin (IL)‐6, a biomarker of inflammation, and significantly increased the activity of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in proportion to the amount of TML added to the paste and sauce. These results suggest that the intake of TML paste and sauce, a new type of fermented food made from insects, may provide effective protection to the liver against hepatocyte injury by EtOH via anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative effects.     

Therapeutic Applications of Naringenin,a Flavanone Enriched in Citrus Fruits,for Disorders beyond Diabetes

In recent years, there has been an increase in epidemiological studies to highlight the health benefits of plant secondary metabolites. Flavonoids (polyphenolic plant secondary metabolites) are recently emerging as an important source for the discovery of new drugs increasing their pharmaceuticals, nutraceutical and medicinal applications. Naringenin is a flavanone, enriched in citrus fruits, tomatoes, bergamot, etc. which has been evaluated extensively for managing diabetes. However, in addition to this, naringenin had been ascribed to various important biological activities like antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiestrogenic, etc. This article aims at highlighting the therapeutic value of naringenin in managing disorders other than diabetes and its role in regulating gene expression by altering chromatin structure as histone deacetylase inhibitor. The understanding of these phenomena will increase the overall knowledge of the various health-promoting effects of citrus fruits.     

Performance evaluation and prediction for a pilot two-stage on-site constructed wetland system employing dewatered alum sludge as main substrate

Dewatered alum sludge, a widely generated by-product of drinking water treatment plants using aluminium salts as coagulants was used as main substrate in a pilot on-site constructed wetland system treating agricultural wastewater for 11 months. Treatment performance was evaluated and spreadsheet analysis was used to establish correlations between water quality variables. Results showed that removal rates (in g/m² d) of 4.6-249.2 for 5 day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), 35.6-502.0 for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 2.5-14.3 for total phosphorus (TP) and 2.7-14.6 for phosphate (PO₄P) were achieved. Multiple regression analysis showed that effluent BOD₅ and COD can be predicted to a reasonable accuracy (R² = 0.665 and 0.588, respectively) by using input variables which can be easily monitored in real time as sole predictor variables. This could provide a rapid and cheap alternative to such laborious and time consuming analyses and also serve as management tools for day-to-day process control.     

应用明矾—活性炭吸附法去除静脉注射用人血免疫球蛋白制剂中的热原质

用活性炭、硅藻土、氢氧化铝、明矾—活性炭四种不同的吸附剂处理静脉注射用人血免疫球蛋白制剂。结果表明，明矾—活性炭吸附法去除热原质最有效，同时进一步改善了制品外观，提高了制品纯度，蛋白回收率达到７５％以上，而且毒性试验和安全试验也符合标准。铝离子残余量偏低