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To observe the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion plus Western medicine in treating patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). A total of 70 patients with DPN were divided into an observation group and a control group by sealed envelope method combined with the random number table method, with 35 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine medicine, and the observation group was treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion on the basis of the treatment in the control group. After 2 courses of treatment, the scores of Toronto clinical scoring system (TCSS) and vibration perception threshold (VPT) in both groups were observed, and the clinical efficacy was compared. During treatment, 3 cases dropped out in the control group and 4 cases in the observation group. After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P

A new non-specific nuclease from Yersinia enterocolitica subsp. palearctica (Y. NSN) was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL 21 StarTM (DE3)plysS. Induction conditions, including isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG) concentration, cell density (OD600), induction time and induction temperature, were optimized using response surface methodology. Statistical analysis of the results revealed that induction temperature and all the quadratic terms of variables had significant effects on enzyme activity of Y. NSN. The optimal induction conditions were as follows: 1.5 mmol/L IPTG, OD600 of 0.80, induction time of 20.5 h, and induction temperature of 32 °C. Under the optimized conditions, the highest enzyme activity could be obtained.

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) was encapsulated in alginate-skim milk microspheres. Characteristics of encapsulated L. bulgaricus, such as pH stability, bile stability, storage stability and release property, were studied in this paper. The viability of free L. bulgaricus was not observed after 1 min in simulated gastric fluids (SGF) at pH 2.5 or 2.0. Compared with that of free L. bulgaricus, the viability of encapsulated L. bulgaricus only decreased 0.7 log CFU/g and 2 log CFU/g after 2.0 h incubation in SGF at pH 2.5 and pH 2.0, respectively. L. bulgaricus was also sensitive to bile solution. The viability of free L. bulgaricus was fully lost after 1 h incubation in 1 and 2% bile solution, while the viability of encapsulated L. bulgaricus was only lost 2 log CFU/g and 2.6 log CFU/g in 1 and 2% bile solution at the same time, respectively. Encapsulated L. bulgaricus could be completely released from microspheres in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) within 2 h. The viability of encapsulated L. bulgaricus retained around 8 log CFU/g when stored at 4°C for 30 days. The current encapsulation technique enables a large proportion of L. bulgaricus to remain good bioactive in a simulated gastrointestinal tract environment.

Summary The antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by sonication method was evaluated in this paper. Effect of calcination conditions on the size and antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles was investigated. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were characterised for purity (Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer), crystallinity and crystal size (XRD), particle size and morphology (TEM), etc. Results showed that the smallest size 8 nm could be obtained. The lethal experiments of nanocrystalline zinc oxide were evaluated on Lactobacillus plantarum. All L. Plantarum were killed after 24-h exposure at 1000 ppm. With the increase in calcination time, the lethal effect of ZnO nanoparticles was increased after 6-h exposure at 100 or 1000 ppm.

In this paper, the physical and chemical characteristics, biological structure and function of a non-specific nuclease from Yersinia enterocolitica subsp. palearctica (Y. NSN) found in our group were studied using multiple bioinformatics approaches. The results showed that Y. NSN had 283 amino acids, a weight of 30,692.5ku and a certain hydrophilic property. Y. NSN had a signal peptide, no transmembrane domains and disulphide bonds. Cleavage site in Y. NSN was between pos. 23 and 24. The prediction result of the secondary structure showed Y. NSN was a coil structure-based protein. The ratio of @a-helix, @b-folded and random coil were 18.73%, 16.96% and 64.31%, respectively. Active sites were pos. 124, 125, 127, 157, 165 and 169. Mg^2^+ binding site was pos. 157. Substrate binding sites were pos. 124, 125 and 169. The analysis of multisequencing alignment and phylogenetic tree indicated that Y. NSN shared high similarity with the nuclease from Y. enterocolitica subsp. enterocolitica 8081. The enzyme activity results showed that Y. NSN was a nuclease with good thermostability.

The antibacterial activity of MgO nanoparticles prepared by a sonication method was evaluated in this paper. The effect of calcination conditions on the size and antibacterial activity of MgO nanoparticles was investigated. MgO nanoparticles were characterized for purity (TGA), crystallinity and crystal size (XRD), particle size and morphology (TEM) and surface area (BET). Results showed that the smallest size of 6 nm could be obtained. The lethal effects of nanocrystalline MgO were evaluated on Lactobacillus plantarum. At a concentration of 100 ppm, the killing effect of MgO was close to 1 log reduction for L. plantarum after 24 h exposure. At 1000 ppm and 24 h exposure, the killing effect of MgO was more than a 2.8 log reduction. With the increase of calcination time, the lethal effect of MgO nanoparticles increased after 6 h or 24 h exposure at 100 ppm or 1000 ppm. 2.86 log and 2.89 log were killed at 1000 ppm after 24 h exposure using the sample MgO, sonication, A, and the sample MgO, sonication, B, respectively. When the sample MgO, sonication, C, was used, the lethal quantity of L. plantarum was increased to a 3.36 log reduction.