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The aim of this study was to obtain excellent probiotic bacteria from traditional Chinese fermented meat products. A total of 62 bacterial strains from the Miao, Dong and Buyi ethnic groups’ traditional fermented sour meat in selected regions of Guizhou, China were isolated, identified and evaluated for their probiotic potential. Twelve strains with good tolerance to simulated gastric juice were identified, including one strain of Companilactobacillus farciminis, five strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, three strains of Staphylococcus saprophyticus and three strains of S. casei. Among them, C. farciminis KLMM196, L. plantarum KLMM198, S. saprophyticus KLMM253, S. casei KLMM307 and S. casei KLMM313 exhibited good gastrointestinal tolerance, hydrophobicity, self-aggregation ability, strong probiotic potential, and no hemolytic activity.

Nitrite has been widely used in meat products for its abilities including color formation, antimicrobial properties, flavor formation and preventing lipid oxidation. However, the possible generation of N-nitrosamines through reaction of nitrite with secondary amines arises many concerns in the usage of nitrite. For a long time, nitrite substitution is unsettled issue in the meat industry. Many attempts have been tried, however, the alternative solutions are often ephemeral and palliative. In recent years, bacterial nitric oxide synthase (bNOS) has received attention for its critical roles, especially in reddening meat products. This comprehensive background study summarizes the application of bNOS in colorizing meat products, its functions in bacteria, and methods of regulating the bNOS pathway. Based on this information, some strategies for promoting the nitric oxide yield for effectively substituting nitrite are presented, such as changing the environmental conditions for bacterial survival and adding substrate. Thus, bNOS is a promising nitrite substitute for color formation, and further research on its other roles in meat needs to be carried out to obtain the complete picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, biogenic amines, and acrylamide are widely distributed and some of the most toxic substances detected in foods. Hence, reduction of these substances has attracted worldwide attention. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculation has been found to be an effective way to reduce these toxic substances. In this paper, the reduction of toxic substances by LAB and its underlying mechanisms have been described through the review of recent studies. LAB aids this reduction via different mechanisms. First, it can directly decrease these harmful substances through adsorption or degradation. Peptidoglycans on the cell wall of LAB can bind to heterocyclic amines, acrylamide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Second, LAB can indirectly decrease the content of toxic substances by reducing their precursors. Third, antioxidant properties of LAB also contribute to the reduction in toxic substances. Finally, LAB can suppress the growth of amino acid decarboxylase-positive bacteria, thus reducing the accumulation of biogenic amines and N-nitrosamines. Therefore, LAB can contribute to the decrease in toxic substances in food and improve food safety. Further research on increasing the reduction efficiency of LAB and deciphering the mechanisms at a molecular level needs to be carried out to obtain the complete picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of Bi addition on the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of In-3Ag-xBi/Cu joints were investigated. Better wettability was obtained with increased addition of Bi (0-2 wt%), but further additions up to 3 wt% decreased the beneficial effects. The intermetallic compounds (IMCs) formed at In-3Ag-xBi/Cu interfaces were (Ag,Cu)In in all cases. With the increase of Bi addition, the interfacial IMC grains coarsened and the IMC layers got thicker. The EPMA mapping revealed that Bi addition reacted with neither In or Ag to form intermetallics, it dissolved as solid solution in Indium matrix uniformly. In addition, the shear strength of the soldered joints were improved by Bi addition, with the peak shear strength occurring at 2 wt% Bi addition. The fracture mode also changed from typical ductile fracture mode to mixed ductile-brittle fracture mode with increased amount of Bi addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dupilumab has been shown to be effective in clinical trials for moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma. However, the efficacy of dupilumab in the real world and the prediction of treatment response have not been well studied in patients with asthma. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of dupilumab and explore predictors of super-responders in a Chinese retrospective cohort. Methods: From January 2021 through December 2022, the patients with uncontrolled asthma who were treated with dupilumab for 4 months were included. Symptom control, type 2 inflammatory biomarkers, and lung function were collected at baseline and follow-up for efficacy assessment. Super-responders were defined as exacerbation-free, off maintenance of oral corticosteroids (mOCS), and with a score of the five-item Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5) of <0.5. The uni- and multivariable logistic regressions were used to construct predictive models for super-responders based on baseline features. Results: A total of 53 patients were included. After 4 months treatment, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) ACQ-5 score decreased from 1.8 (1.6-2.4) to 0.4 (0.2-0.8) (p < 0.001), the median (IQR) number of exacerbations, from 0.0 (0.0-1.0) to 0.0 (0.0-0.0) (p = 0.005). The median (IQR) dose of mOCS (prednisone equivalent) decreased from 15.0 mg/day (8.8-22.5 mg/day) to 2.5 mg/day (0.0-10.0 mg/day) (p = 0.008) in nine patients who were receiving mOCS. All efficacy assessment parameters, including sputum eosinophil were significantly improved, while blood eosinophil count did not decline (530 cells/mm³ [300-815 cells/mm³] versus 560 cells/mm³ [220-938 cells/mm³], p = 0.710). After taking dupilumab, 25 of 53 patients (47.2%) achieved a super-response. The age of onset < 42 years (odds ratio [OR] 7.471 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.286-43.394) and the baseline fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) of 25-50 ppb (OR 35.038 [95% CI, 3.104-395.553]) predicted super-responders, which showed a C-index of 0.822 (95% CI, 0.697-0.947). Conclusion: Dupilumab significantly improved symptom control, type 2 inflammatory markers, and lung function in Chinese patients with uncontrolled asthma. Airway eosinophils, rather than blood eosinophils, can be a reliable indicator of therapeutic efficacy. The early-onset asthma as well as the medium-high level of baseline FeNO contributed to the prediction of super-responders.