Search

Laminaria japonicaAresch as an edible and medicine dual-purpose marine algae, has been gradually accepted by people. Tofu was Chinese traditional food, combining kelp function ingredients with tofu has practical value. The extraction-optimization methodology and the sequences of kelp antihypertensive peptide (KAP) were investigated. The sensory, whiteness, water retention ability (WRA) and microstructure of KAP tofu were evaluated. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) results showed KAP addition (20 %) significantly improved the tofu texture, with a denser network composed of relatively even pores. Compared with gypsum tofu and glucose-δ-interior fat (GDL) tofu, KAP tofu had significantly higher WRA (94.49 ± 0.49)% and sensory evaluation score value (92.54 ± 0.52), and a significantly lower IC50value at (2.06 ± 0.04) mg/mL (P <0.05). The maximum IC50value (4.14 mg/mL) of kelp enzymatic hydrolysate was observed at enzyme (at an alkaline protease:trypsin ratio of 2:1) concentration 1.5 %, temperature 55 °C and time 2 h. The sequences of 8 identified peptides were Lys-Tyr, Phe-Tyr, Gly-Lys-Tyr, Ala-Lys-Tyr, Ser-Lys-Thr-Tyr, Lys-Lys-Phe-Tyr, Lys-Phe-Lys-Tyr and Ala-Lys-Tyr-Ser-Tyr with IC50values of 5.24, 4.83, 7.94, 7.52, 20.63, 15.33, 10.73 and 2.42 μmol/L, respectively. These results indicated the potential use of KAP tofu as a valuable resource for development of functional foods.

Background and Objective: Tacrolimus has become the first-line immunosuppressant for preventing rejection after heart transplantation. The present study aimed to investigate genetic variants and clinical factors affecting the variability of tacrolimus in Chinese Han heart transplant patients using a population pharmacokinetic approach. Methods: The retrospective study included 53 hospitalized patients with 547 tacrolimus concentrations for analysis. Nonlinear mixed-effects modeling was used to develop the population pharmacokinetics model for tacrolimus in patients with heart transplants, followed by Monte Carlo simulations to design initial dosing regimens. Results: In our study, the mutation rate of CYP3A4*18B (C>T) was 27.36%. An oral one-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination was used to describe the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus in heart transplant patients. In the final model, the estimated apparent clearance (CL/F) and volume of distribution (V/F) were 532.5 L/h [12.20% interindividual variability, IIV] and 16.87 L (23.16% IIV), respectively. Albumin, postoperative time, and rs2242480 (CYP3A4*18B) gene polymorphisms were the significant covariates affecting CL/F, and creatinine clearance had significant effects on the V/F. Conclusion: The population pharmacokinetic model of tacrolimus in heart transplant patients can better estimate the population and individual pharmacokinetic parameters of patients and can provide a reference for the design of individualized dosing regimens.

Quantifying atmospheric CO2over long periods from space is crucial in understanding the carbon cycle's response to climate change. However, a single satellite offers limited spatiotemporal coverage, making comprehensive monitoring challenging. Moreover, biases among various satellite retrievals hinder their direct integration. This study proposed a machine learning framework for fusing the column‐averaged dry‐air mole fraction of CO2(XCO2) retrievals from Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) and OCO‐2 satellites. The best model (R2= 0.85) presented improved consistency of GOSAT retrievals by reducing 71.5% of the average monthly bias while using OCO‐2 retrievals as a benchmark, indicating the fusion data set's potential to enhance observation coverage. Incorporating the adjusted GOSAT XCO2retrievals into the OCO‐2 data set added an average of 84.7 thousand observations annually, enhancing the yearly temporal coverage by 53.6% (from 14 to 21.5 days per grid). This method can be adapted to other satellites, maximizing satellite resources for a more robust carbon flux inversion. CO2sources and sinks are primarily regulated by anthropogenic emissions, photosynthesis and respiration on land and in the ocean, as well as by physical dissolution and carbonate chemistry with ocean circulation. The consistent long‐term quantification of atmospheric CO2concentrations using satellite observations plays a pivotal role in understanding the response of global and regional carbon cycles to climate change. However, satellites have a revisit period, and factors like cloud and aerosol scattering impact the quality and quantity of their observations. A single satellite currently falls short of the demand to monitor global carbon sources and sinks, necessitating the integration of observations from various satellites to conduct carbon flux inversions. Different satellites come with distinct sampling patterns, instrument parameters, and retrieval algorithms, which leads to biases in their retrieval products. Our study, focusing on OCO‐2 and GOSAT, employs machine learning models to improve consistency between retrievals derived from these two satellites, thus generating a harmonized data set. The bias‐corrected GOSAT XCO2retrievals exhibit high spatiotemporal consistency with OCO‐2 XCO2retrievals, immensely enhancing the observational constraints for carbon flux inversions. This method holds promise for application to recently launched and future satellites, aiming to offer carbon flux inversions with amplified spatiotemporal observational constraints. This study employs machine learning (ML) models to enhance XCO2consistency between OCO‐2 and Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), reducing monthly inconsistency by 71.5%Integrating the OCO‐2 data set with GOSAT retrievals increased yearly observations by 56.2%Fusing satellite data through ML models can pave the way for improved carbon flux inversions in the future This study employs machine learning (ML) models to enhance XCO2consistency between OCO‐2 and Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), reducing monthly inconsistency by 71.5% Integrating the OCO‐2 data set with GOSAT retrievals increased yearly observations by 56.2% Fusing satellite data through ML models can pave the way for improved carbon flux inversions in the future

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a disease biomarker, which can reflect the existence of tumors. The accurate detection of CEA in clinical samples is highly valuable for diagnosis of tumors. Herein, we developed an enzyme-free fluorescent biosensor for highly sensitive detection of CEA based on an aptamer-induced entropy-driven circuit. The aptamer hairpin specifically bound to CEA to expose the locked domain. Then, the exposed domain could trigger disassembly of multiple fluorophore strands from the three-strand complexes with the aid of fuel strands, leading to the production of remarkable amplified fluorescent signals. The one-step and homogeneous method exhibited high specificity and a wide linear range from 10 pg mL−1to 500 ng mL−1with a low limit of detection of 4.2 pg mL−1. What's more, the whole detection process could be performed within 45 min and did not involve the use of any protein enzymes and antibodies. The developed strategy could also be applied to detect CEA in clinical samples with satisfactory results. Therefore, the strategy is an alternative sensing method for the detection of CEA.

Objective To perform molecular diagnosis and genetic counseling in a young Chinese couple with congenital hearing loss.Methods Variant screening analysis was performed by PCR and direct Sanger sequencing or targeted next-generation sequencing of all known hearing loss genes. Novel variants were evaluated by PolyPhen2 and PROVEAN software tools to evaluate possible effects on protein function.Results We identified causative variants in the young couple: c.235delC (rs80338943)/c.299-300delAT (rs111033204) compound heterozygous variants of GJB2in the husband and c.1828G>A (p.Glu610Lys, rs535637788)/c.2825-2827delAGA compound heterozygous variants of LOXHD1in the wife. The LOXHD1c.1828G>A variant has only previously been reported in a Mexican-American individual in the 1000 Genomes Project database. Using PolyPhen2 and PROVEAN, we speculated that the LOXHD1variant c.1828G>A is potentially pathogenic.Conclusion We carried out molecular diagnosis in a young couple with congenital hearing loss, and identified different disease-causing genes in the two individuals. The LOXHD1variant c.1828G>A present in the wife had not previously been reported in individuals with congenital hearing loss. We determined this to be a potential pathogenic variant, and a novel variant associated with hearing loss in a Chinese individual.

The effects of polycrystal grain orientations on the indentation hardness were studied by both the experimental investigation and numerical simulation. The surface grain orientations of the sample were measured using the electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) technique, and are divided into three types of grains according to the characteristics of orientations. The indentation experiment was carried out on the surface grains with various orientations as the same direction of the indenter axis. According to the polycrystalline plastic forming theory, a new finite element method (FEM) model was established and the indentation processes on the grains with orientations of [111] and [100] were numerically simulated. By comparing the hardness from simulation results with those of experiments, the new FEM model considering grain orientations was validated. The forming mechanism of the contour during indentation on surface grains with different orientations is also discussed in the study.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal deaths and is also associated with well-known infant morbidities. Although the effects of active smoking during pregnancy are recognized, evidence for the effects of passive smoking is mixed. In China, 3.2 of women and 48.9 of men are active smokers, which offers a unique opportunity for studying passive smoking and reproductive health in nonsmoking women. This cohort study was undertaken to examine the association between passive smoking and preterm birth by clinical subtypes.

Objective To examine the effects of position management, manual rotation of the fetal position, and using a U-shaped birth stool in primiparous women with a fetus in a persistent occiput posterior position.Methods This was a prospective pilot study of women who delivered at Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital between January and June 2018. The women were divided into the position management ([PM] position management, manual rotation of fetal position, use of a U-shaped birth stool at different stages, and routine nursing) and control groups (position selected by women and routine nursing).Results There were 196 women in the PM group and 188 in the control group. There were no significant differences in maternal age, gestational weeks, newborn weight, and the neonatal asphyxia rate between the PM and control groups. The duration of labor was shorter in the PM group than in the control group. Pain and blood loss 2 hours after delivery and the episiotomy rate were significantly lower in the PM group than in the control group.Conclusion Applying position management, manual rotation of the fetal position, and using a U-shaped birth stool should be considered for women with a fetus in a persistent occiput posterior position.