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In this study, we determined the composition of microorganisms in the spontaneous/inoculated fermentation process of persimmon (Diospyros kaki L., China) wine for the first time and compared the similarities and differences of microbial succession, change in volatile compounds, and variations in amino acids. We found that spontaneous persimmon wine fermentation (SPF) resulted in lower bacterial community diversity and higher fungi community diversity than inoculated persimmon wine fermentation (IPF). SPF increased the proportion of esters in overall volatile compounds (29.9 % vs 18.9 %) at the end of fermentation. According to partial least squares (PLS, VIP > 1.0) analysis and Spearman’s correlation analysis, 18 (11 bacterial and 7 fungus) were identified as the functional core microbiotas in SPF. Among them, indigenous Saccharomyces, Hanseniaspora, Rhodotorula, Leuconostoc, and Lactobacillus play an important role in the formation of volatile compounds and are worthy of further study, while Escherichia-Shigella, Ralstonia and Zoogloea should be inhibited during the fermentation process. However, a key problem in SPF was the fermentation time, which was too long (about 27 days) and did not meet the needs of industrial production. Overall, the results showed the possibility of considering select indigenous aroma-producing microorganisms as persimmon wine fermentation starters to improve the unique characteristics of persimmon wine.

The main objective of this study was to isolate newly indigenous yeast strains from the fermentation of jujube liquor. 19 isolated yeast strains were obtained by spontaneous solid-state fermentation and flavour characteristics of the fermented jujube juice were also compared from above selected strains. 3 strains (JM-3, JM-13, JM-17) were screened out and identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) by molecular identification. Tolerance tests for glucose, temperature, pH and alcohol of three yeast stains were compared. The result showed that the glucose tolerance of JM-3 was better those of JM-13 and JM-17, the temperature and pH tolerance were similarities in three yeast strains and the alcohol tolerance of JM-13 was better those of JM-3 and JM-17. Jujube juice was used as medium for single and mixed-culture fermentation with commercial S. cerevisiae G-1. All the important aroma compounds were detected in jujube juice fermented with JM-13+G-1 and JM-13 had an excellent potential starter for jujube liquor production.

A poor papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) prognosis is strongly associated with the BRAF V600E mutation. During tumor progression, levels of the high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein are often dysregulated. Results herein demonstrate that HMGB1 protein levels differ between tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissue and that HMGB1 mRNA levels were higher in wild-type BRAF PTC tissues than in BRAF V600E PTC tissues (2-△Ct 0.31 ± 0.25 vs. 0.16 ± 0.12; P

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common developmental anomaly, affecting approximately 1% of all newborns. Genetic factors play an important role in CHD's development. Germline mutations in NK2 transcription factor related, locus 5 (NKX2.5) have been identified as the factors responsible for various forms of CHD. In this study, we investigated mutations of the NKX2.5 gene's coding region in 230 nonsyndromic CHD patients belonging to the Chinese Han nationality by PCR, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and sequencing. Pathogenic mutations were not found among the patients. Two known single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2277923 and rs3729753) were detected, but the differences in the allele and genotype frequencies were insignificant between CHD and the controls (p > 0.05). The data we gathered suggest that NKX2.5 mutations are highly rare in CHD patients of the Chinese Han nationality. Therefore, NKX2.5 mutation investigation should be limited within a number of familial and special phenotype of CHD in Chinese patients.

Background. Tuberculosis is an urgent public health problem caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Many factors, including host genetic factors, are involved in tuberculosis pathogenesis. The SLC11A1 gene (formerly NRAMP1) is a primary candidate for association with tuberculosis susceptibility. Methods. We examined the association between SLC11A1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to tuberculosis in Han Chinese children. The study included 136 pediatric patients with tuberculosis and 435 pediatric control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment–length polymorphism analysis was performed with blood samples to distinguish allele genotypes of INT4 (a GrC single nucleotide change in intron 4, 469 + 14G/C) and the 3 � UTR (TGTG deletion in the 3 � untranslated region, 1729 + 55del) in the SLC11A1 gene. Differences in genotype frequency were analyzed for patients with tuberculosis and control subjects. Results. We did not identify any statistically significant differences between the tuberculosis and control groups with regard to the frequency of genotype variants G/C and C/C at the INT4 locus. The frequency of genotype variants (TGTG +/delete and TGTG delete/delete) was significantly higher in the tuberculosis group than in the control group at the 3 � UTR locus. Differences in genotype distribution at the 3 � UTR locus were only identified in female subjects, with a greater number of variant genotypes in the tuberculosis group. Conclusions. Variant genotypes at the 3 � UTR locus in the SLC11A1 gene were associated with pediatric tuberculosis in Chinese patients. Patient sex may affect the outcome of M. tuberculosis infection in children.

Recent studies have reported germline mutations in GATA4 gene in some types of congenital heart disease (CHD). However, the prevalence of GATA4 mutations in CHD and the correlation between the GATA4 genotype and CHD phenotype have not been extensively studied. We screened germline mutations in the coding exons and the flanking intron sequences of the GATA4 gene in 486 CHD patients by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), and confirmed the mutations by sequencing. Nine distinct mutations including one small deletion mutation (46delS), two small insertion mutations (118–119insA and 125–126insAA), and six non-synonymous mutations (A6V, P163S, E359K, P407Q, S429T and A442V) were identified in 12 of the 486 patients (nine with ventricular septal defect, two with Tetralogy of Fallot, and one with endocardial cushion defect). Of them, two patients carrying E359K mutation were from two generations in one family with ventricular septal defect (VSD). Interestingly, a nucleotide insertion of c.1146 + 25insA in exon 6 was detected in five VSD patients, but not in 486 normal healthy controls. Our findings are useful in understanding the prevalence of GATA4 mutations and the correlation between the GATA4 genotype and the CHD phenotype in Chinese patients.