Effects of superfine grinding on quality characteristics of Morchella esculenta powder

ObjectiveIn order to explore the effect of superfine grinding on the quality characteristics of Morchella esculenta powder.MethodsVibrating superfine grinding used to prepare M. esculenta powder and the effects of different superfine grinding times on the physicochemical properties and nutrient dissolution were studied.ResultsWith the increase of superfine grinding time, the specific surface area of M. esculenta powder significantly increased, the median particle size D50 decreased gradually, and the micron level could reach in 5 minutes of superfine grinding; The particle size was more well-distributed and the color of the powder was brighter after superfine grinding; The angle of repose, sliding angle and oil holding capacity reached the equilibrium point at 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 10 minutes respectively, and there was no significant change in increasing superfine grinding time. The water holding capacity gradually decreased after reaching the maximum at 5 minutes. while, the bulk density and tap density showed a decreasing trend; With the extension of superfine grinding time, the content of polysaccharide increased continuously, the soluble dietary fiber content decreased after increasing, and reached the highest level at 15 minutes. No significant change was found in protein content and DPPH free radical clearance rate.ConclusionThe physicochemical properties of M. esculenta powder could be significantly affected by superfine grinding and the ultrafine particle size can be selected based on the practical processing needs and purposes

The value of a novel percutaneous lung puncture clamp biopsy technique in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules

Abstract Background: Computed tomography-guided percutaneous lung biopsy is a crucial method to determine pulmonary anomalies, and is highly accurate in detecting evidence of malignancies, allowing medical practitioners to identify the stage of malignancy and thus help to plan the treatment regimens of patients.Objective: To explore the clinical application of a new computed tomography-guided percutaneous lung puncture clamp biopsy technique in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, characterized by ground-glass opacity on chest computed tomography images.Methods: A unique instrument named ‘combined percutaneous lung biopsy forceps’, consisting of a biopsy forceps, a 15-gauge coaxial needle and needle core, was designed. The new tool was used to obtain specimens in nine patients with pulmonary ground-glass opacity. The specimen volumes and the safety of using the instrument were measured. The samples obtained were also assessed to see if they were sufficient for conducting histological tests.Result: Samples were obtained in all nine patients – a success rate of 100%. Consistently, the volume of each specimen was sufficient to make a histological diagnosis. No serious complications, such as pneumothorax – primary spontaneous pneumothorax or secondary spontaneous pneumothorax – occurred during the biopsy.Conclusions: The application of this new tool in obtaining tissue specimens in patients with pulmonary ground-glass opacity under the guidance of chest computed tomography was invaluable in terms of its high accuracy and safety. Moreover, its effect was better compared to using a fine-needle aspiration biopsy or a cutting-needle biopsy. Therefore, this instrument can be used for histological diagnosis. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2021; 35(2):85-90]Key words: Ground-glass opacity; percutaneous lung puncture clamp biopsy; fine-needle aspiration biopsy; cutting-needle biops

Effect of Steam Explosion Pretreatment on the Quality and Flavor of Pressed Perilla Seed Oil

The effects of different steam explosion pretreatment durations (30, 45 and 60 s) on the quality and flavor compounds of perilla seed oil were studied. The results showed that steam explosion pretreatment had no significant effect on the composition or content of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids in perilla seed oil, and the acid value and peroxide value of the treatment group were significantly higher than the blank group, but still met the requirements of relevant standards. As steam explosion treatment time rose, the L* value decreased, the b* value increased significantly, and the contents of total phenol and total phytosterol increased significantly. The total phenolic contents at 30, 45 and 60 s were 1.95, 2.29, and 2.77 times as high as that of the blank group, respectively, and the total phytosterol contents increased by 5.36%, 6.48%, and 9.33%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the contents of total tocopherol or benzopyrene between the treatment and control groups, and the benzopyrene content in each treatment group was much lower than the national standard limit. A total of 23 volatile flavor compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the types and contents of flavor compounds in perilla seed oil increased significantly after steam explosion. Eleven key flavor compounds were identified by combining odor activity value (OAV) and principal component analysis (PCA), and the major volatile flavor components changed from hydrocarbons and esters to aldehydes and heterocyclic flavor compounds. The overall flavor changed from light fruity and floral aromas to roasted oil-like and nutty aromas. The results of this study provide technical references for the preparation of perilla seed oil

Optimization of Enzymatic Hydrolysis Process of Morchella esculenta and Analysis of Volatile Flavor Compounds in Enzymatic Hydrolysate

To optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis process of Morchella esculenta and expore the volatile flavor compounds in its enzymatic hydrolysate, the enzymatic hydrolysis was optimized by response surface design, and the key flavor compounds were identified by headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) combined with the odor activity value (OAV). Results indications were as follows: enzyme addition amount of 5000 U/g, pH6.7, enzymolysis temperature at 44 ℃ for 2 h, the hydrolysis degree was 34.11% under the above mentioned conditions and a total of 23 volatile flavor compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis, among which 17 werein blank group and 21 in enzymatic group. After enzymatic hydrolysis process, the content of flavor compounds increased by 203.71%. Aldehydes were the main volatile flavor compounds, accounting for 78.50% of the whole flavor compounds. Compounds with OAV≥1 were further analyzed, including 7 in the blank group and 9 in the enzymatic group. Isovaleraldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, hexenal, benzaldehyde, nonanal, linalool, 2-amylfuran, limonene and naphthalene were identified as the key flavor compounds in the enzymatic hydrolysate of Morchella esculenta. Enzymatic hydrolysis can promote the release of flavor compounds, thus providing data basis for the flavor utilization, the deep processing and development of seasoning for Morchella esculenta

Primary large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system misdiagnosed as autoimmune encephalitis: a case report

Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) are rare, constituting 2 - 3% of intracranial malignancies. A 49-year-old male presented with a 20-day history of dizziness and a 15-day history of right-sided weakness. Physical examination revealed various abnormal signs. Initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was unremarkable, while MRI scans (both plain and contrast-enhanced) showed abnormal signals in the left brainstem, thalamus, and basal ganglia regions, with specific enhancement patterns, and arterial spin labeling (ASL) demonstrated hyperperfusion. The patient was initially diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and treated with methylprednisolone with dose reduction and subsequent discharge. However, two months later, his condition deteriorated. Re-evaluation of MRI data, along with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) results, suggested a neoplastic process. A stereotactic brain biopsy led to a PCNSL diagnosis. The patient was then transferred for high-dose methotrexate chemotherapy but due to lack of regular follow-up, the disease progressed, resulting in cerebral herniation and respiratory failure and ultimately death. The coexistence of PCNSL and AE is diagnostically difficult because of atypical clinical features and non-specific imaging. Thus, for patients with suspected CNS immune-mediated diseases who relapse after steroid treatment improvement, comprehensive evaluation including CSF examination, MRI, and prompt pathological examination is crucial to consider the possibility of PCNSL

Lactation-promoting ingredients of Hemerocallis citrina Borani and the corresponding mechanisms

Hemerocallis citrina Borani is a traditional folk food used to promote the lactation of postpartum mothers in China; however, the active ingredients and corresponding mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, the lactogenic effect of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of H. citrina was primarily evaluated, and the aqueous extract (1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg) displayed significant lactation-promoting effects. Three eluates of the aqueous extract (0%, 30%, and 50%HCW) were further evaluated for their lactogenic effect, and 30% and 50% HCW showed significant lactation-promoting activity. Nineteen ingredients, including those with a high content of rutin and isoquercetin, were then identified from 30% and 50%HCW using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method. Finally, the lactogenic effect of rutin and isoquercetin was evaluated, and both compounds displayed significant lactation-promoting activity. The mechanisms relative to the lactation-promoting active ingredients for H. citrina extracts and compounds are to stimulate the release of prolactin (PRL) and progesterone (P), as well as to induce the expression of prolactin receptor (PRLR) and improve the morphology of mammary tissue. This study first clarified the lactation-promoting active ingredients of H. citrina and the corresponding mechanisms, which provide a new insight into the new lactation-promoting drug and promote the high-value utilization of H. citrina resources

Inhibition of Notch1 Signaling Alleviates Endotoxin-Induced Inflammation Through Modulating Retinal Microglia Polarization

Microglial cells are resident immune cells and play an important role in various cerebral and retinal inflammatory diseases. Notch1 signaling is involved in the microglia polarization and the control of cerebral inflammatory reactions. However, its role in endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of Notch1 signaling on retinal microglia polarization and inflammation in the cultured retinal microglial cells and EIU rat model. We found that Notch1 signaling blockade with N-[N-(3, 5-difluorophenacetyl)-1-alany1-S-phenyglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT) shifted retinal microglia phenotype from pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype (COX2+ and iNOS+) to anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype (Arg-1+) and reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, DAPT treatment contributed to prevent retinal ganglion cells from apoptosis, reduce the intraocular infiltrating cells, and attenuate the impairment of retinal function. Taken together, these results suggest that inhibition of Notch1 signaling could alleviate the inflammatory response in EIU rat mainly through regulating the polarization of retinal microglia. Therefore, Notch1 signaling might be a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of ocular inflammatory diseases

Functional analysis of NtPDX2 in Nicotiana tabacum L. associated with stem development

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for all living organisms in their life activities. Among its forms, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP) is the primary metabolically active form of Vitamin B6, which usually plays a crucial role in the metabolism of proteins, fatty acids, and carbohydrates. To date, although the molecular functions of genes involved in vitamin B6 biosynthesis, including Pdx1, Pdx2, Pdx3, and Sos4, have been reported in various plants, no studies have yet explored the functions of NtPDX1 and NtPDX2 in tobacco. This study used the Nicotiana tabacum L. as material to clone the CDS sequence of the NtPDXs. Through bioinformatics analysis, we predicted the phylogenetic relationships and functions of these genes; the subcellular localization of NtPDX2 was found to be in the cytoplasmic structures. By conducting both constitutive overexpression and homozygous knockout studies of the NtPDX2, we observed a significant increase in vitamin B6 content in the stem tissues of overexpressing plants (up to 150%), while knockout plants showed a decrease to 60%. This led to changes in agronomic traits such as plant height and stem thickness in tobacco plants. The overexpressing plants exhibited a significant increase in height (100.93 cm) and stem thickness (13.64 cm), whereas the knockout plants were shorter in height (73.10 cm) and had thinner stems (10.83 cm). By integrating transcriptome sequencing technology with molecular biology methods, we aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of NtPDX2 in tobacco growth and development, thereby providing new genetic resources and a theoretical foundation for the cultivation of new tobacco varieties with superior quality for flue-cured tobacco