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The present study was aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of fermented milk containing roselle ( Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) extract at different levels (0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% (w/w)). Titratable acidity (TA) and pH, bacteria counts, syneresis value, water-holding capacity (WHC) and their sensory acceptance were evaluated afterwards. The fermented milk containing 0.2% roselle extract (RFM 2 ) was selected for investigation of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity. Results showed that RFM 2 decreased the fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), the level of liver glycogen, and increased serum insulin (INS) of diabetic model mice. Moreover, RFM 2 treatment improved the body, spleen, pancreas, liver and kidney weights of diabetic mice to different degrees. After four weeks, TC concentrations in diabetic mice treated by metformin (DM), control fermented milk (CFM) and RFM 2 (RFM) group was decreased by 52.52%, 43.56%, 49.10%, respectively, compare to diabetic control (DC) group, TG concentration was decreased by 52.61%, 26.49%, 33.96%, respectively. LDL-C concentration was decreased by 63.97%, 46.32%, 55.88%, respectively. And the level of HDL-C in DM, CFM, RFM group was increased by 49.12%, 37.72%, 42.11%, respectively. The FFA levels of DM, CFM and RFM group was decreased by 60.05%, 19.94%, 34.08%, respectively, compared to DC group. After diabetic mice fed with metformin, CFM and RFM 2 , compared with DC group, the expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the liver was increased by 50.29%, 16.93%, 41.69%, while the expression of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) was downregulated which decreased by 15.42%, 6.47%, 12.44%, respectively. The expression of AMPK and glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) in skeletal muscle was increased in DM, CFM and RFM groups, which was increased by 70.86%, 28.64%, 51.73% and 58.42%, 45.18%, 48.07%, respectively. The expression of peroxysome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-γ) in adipose tissue was increased by 5.80%, 12.63%, 28.67%, respectively. In general, roselle extract addition could promote hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of fermented milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, kiwifruit-bitter gourd juice was added to reconstituted milk at 5%, 10% and 15% (v/v) to prepare fermented milk (KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 ). Fermented milk without kiwifruit-bitter gourd juice was used as control fermented milk (CFM). Compared with CFM, the viable counts of Streptococcus thermophiles (St) in KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 were increased by 4.5%, 6.5% and 5.9%, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lb) were increased by 2.9%, 7.1% and 4.3%, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis (Ba) were increased by 9.0%, 11.5% and 10.7%, respectively. The value of initial titratable acidity (TA) of CFM was 82.4°T, the TA values of KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 were increased by 3.5%, 6.4% and 5.7%, respectively. Compared with CFM (water-holding capacity (WHC) was 79.69%; syneresis value was 324.3 g/kg), WHC of KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 were increased by 2.2%, 14.8% and 7.1%, and the syneresis values were reduced by 9.7%, 11.3% and 10.7%, respectively. The firmness value of CFM, KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 was 22.71, 26.84, 27.90, 23.56 g, the cohesiveness value was 126.92, 139.82, 153.56, 132.82 g/s, the consistency value was 13.38, 16.36, 18.38, 14.58 g, and the index of viscosity was 4.93, 7.56, 9.29, 6.16 g/s, respectively. KBFM 10 has highest sensory scores (37.96-maximum 40) which was selected for investigation of volatile compounds and hypoglycemia activity. Thirty-six kinds of volatile compounds were identified in KBFM 10 and thirty kinds in CFM, which were mainly aldehydes, alcohols, acids, ketones, and esters. During 28 day refrigerated storage, the values of α-glucosidase inhibition of CFM was 21.6%, 30.27%, 26.61%, 24.59%, 22.82%. The values α-glucosidase inhibition of KBFM 10 was respectively increased by 28.61%, 34.13%, 38.67%, 36.07%, 37.77%. This study demonstrated that kiwifruit-bitter gourd juice can be added as an active ingredient in milk preparations to provide novel functional dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban thermal environment is a complex phenomenon, and its effects can be manifested in various aspects, such as the urban heat island intensity (UHII), outdoor thermal comfort, and building energy demand. In this study, the effects of different early planning strategies on these three aspects were evaluated at the neighborhood scale. The central city of Guangzhou, China, was used as an example, typical neighborhoods were delineated using the local climate zone system, and the Urban Weather Generator (UWG) model was used to simulate the thermal environment. A combination of remote sensing, visual interpretation, field studies, and social perception were used to obtain the environmental indicators and input parameters. The results showed that the building height, building density, and wall-to-plan area ratio are the most influential factors on the UHII, the universal thermal climate index (UTCI), and the cooling energy demand (CED) with the PAWN index above 0.2. The change in spatial and temporal variability at the neighborhood scale can have different levels of impact on UHII, UTCI, and CED. Therefore, targeted planning strategies that consider multiple factors that influence the thermal environment must be used to achieve the best results in different urban areas. • The methodology enables quick and simple thermal environment assessments. • Thermal environmental phenomena were assessed by the Urban Weather Generator model. • Sensitivity analysis evaluates thermal environment impacts of planning strategies. • Building height, density, and wall-to-plan ratio greatly impact thermal environment. • Targeted thermal mitigation strategies are needed for different neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to investigate the ameliorating effects and potential mechanism of an exopolysaccharide (LEP-2a) and its derivatives against CCl 4 induced acute liver damage. LEP-2a, one exopolysaccharide from Lachnum YM406, was phosphorylated and selenized to prepare its derivatives. LEP-2a and its derivatives could alleviate liver injury, which were proved by hepatosomatic index, liver histopathological assessment and biochemical indicators of liver damage, antioxidant defense system and inflammatory reaction. The mechanisms of liver protection effect were related to reducing hepatocyte apoptosis by down-regulating expression of Fas, Fas-L and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 as well as the activation of caspase 3/8 and cleavage of PARP caused by CCl 4 , which were associated with Fas/Fas-L and mitochondrial pathway. Moreover, liver fibrosis was also markedly relieved by activating HGF/c-Met pathway and down-regulating expression of vimentin and ICAM-1 as well as normalizing PHB expression. In conclusion, LEP-2a and its derivatives exhibited notable liver protection effect in multiple ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research related to the relationship between social capital and local identity has typically focused on certain social media users, namely, those using Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp in developed countries. This has led to a lack of theory on how young people in developing countries use social media, for example to gain guanxi capital, especially when they work and reside in a new city. This study aims to understand the relationship between young WeChat users' guanxi capital and local identity in China. To test the model, the study used structural equation modelling for investigating young WeChat users (N = 2546) who migrated to Zhengzhou, based on their responses to online questionnaires. The results revealed that WeChat plays a significant role in building guanxi capital and local identity, and that the guanxi capital accumulated through WeChat Moments can affect users' sense of belonging and local identity. Furthermore, this research identified that young WeChat users in China are a unique group in terms of their use of guanxi capital accumulation, which helps them gain a sense of local belonging, particularly after they have experienced migration. The study findings can help WeChat developers adjust their strategies for functions, such as Moments, to better serve young users in different areas. Additionally, the study offers guidance for firms to enable young people to use social media to develop a sense of local identity in their new city. • The findings of this study can help WeChat developers adjust their strategies for functions such as Moment to better serve young users from different areas. • In addition, the study offers guidance for firms to enable young people to use social media to gain a sense of local identity in their new city. • This study verifies the importance of guanxi capital for young social media users in the Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a thorough analysis and evaluation of the impact of celebrity environmental advertisements on the development of green economy. According to our findings, celebrity-endorsed public service announcements (PSAs) tend to be more successful than non–celebrity-endorsed PSAs. This result is based on participant eye-movement data while viewing PSA images with and without celebrity endorsements. PSAs featuring celebrities received greater and longer gazes, and yielded a better re-recognition effect when compared with non-celebrity PSAs. In terms of time spent viewing, number of gazes, and recertification results, PSAs featuring host or anchor celebrities outperformed those featuring acting and sports celebrities. The process of sharing behavior on social media with regard to environmental PSAs takes place through self-exposure, assuming others' influence until the sharing behavior occurs. Perceived attitudes toward others' contact, the perceived social media experiences of others, and the perceived presence of social capital are the main factors of assumed influence regarding sharing behavior of environmental PSAs on social media. Our findings suggest that relevant media should focus on initiating, deepening, and sustaining sharing behavior with creative advertising, social contact, and social capital, respectively to improve the re-dissemination of environmental PSAs. • Environmental advertisements are critical for green economy development. • Viewers' reactions to environmental advertisements are analyzed. • Eye-movement tracking reveals that celebrity-endorsed campaigns are more effective. • Celebrity environmental campaigns are required to spread environmental awareness. • Active government intervention is critical for long-term green development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers have to assess and optimize neighborhood-scale planning aspects to profit from climate mitigation and adaptation measures due to various thermal environmental concerns. There are many models to evaluate the local thermal environment, but their outputs or complexity limit their application in performance-oriented neighborhood planning. In this study, the Urban Weather Generator (UWG) was updated to meet the needs of neighborhood planners. The model improves the radiation, vegetation, and convective heat transfer calculation processes to better match the actual physical representation of the neighborhood. Besides, the functions of the model are extended to calculate the mean radiant temperature (MRT) and water temperature for the evaluation of outdoor human thermal comfort and blue infrastructure effects. A new graphical interface also makes it easier for planning decision-makers to start quickly. Then, the prediction results of the updated model are evaluated with the neighborhood observations of the hot and humid regions of Guangzhou and Nanning. The air temperature, relative humidity (RH), and MRT results revealed that this novel model performs quite consistently and demonstrated the reliability and computational efficiency of the UWG model. In the early stages of thermal environment evaluation, the UWG model can be used for performance-oriented neighborhood planning. • The radiation and vegetation calculation process of the Urban Weather Generator model was improved. • The Urban Weather Generator model to calculate the mean radiant temperature and water temperature was extended. • The model was evaluated by neighborhood-scale field measurements in two typical cities in humid and hot regions of China. • Agreements about predicted and measured air temperature, relative humidity, and mean radiant temperature were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal comfort of outdoor pedestrians is a crucial factor affecting the quality of urban life. The quantification of the thermal radiation environment near the ground of an urban street canyon is essential for understanding the thermal comfort of pedestrians. Most studies on the thermal comfort of outdoor pedestrians did not consider the dynamic changes in the thermal radiation on the pedestrian route. The mean radiant temperature for a given location does not adequately represent the effect of non-uniform thermal radiation on the human body. In this study, a simulation method is proposed to investigate thermal radiation experienced by pedestrians in street canyons. We obtained the main parameters affecting the dynamic and non-uniform thermal radiation in the central district of Guangzhou. The results show that an exponential function describes the relationship between the time a pedestrian remains in the post-change environment and the solar elevation angle (h s) as the pedestrian travels through sunlight and shadow areas. A quadratic function describes the relationship between a change in the temperature of thermal radiation and the h s and between the sunlight-shadow frequency and h s. Non-uniform thermal radiation is attributed to the direct shortwave radiation (SW dir) in sunlight areas. The different directions of SW dir irradiating the human body cause a temperature difference in the non-uniform thermal radiation between different parts of the human body. [Display omitted] • Three parameters were proposed to measure the dynamic thermal radiation of pedestrians: f 300 , Δ MRT t , and τ. • The solar elevation angle h s significantly influenced the dynamic thermal radiation. • The vector of direct solar radiation significantly influenced the degree of non-uniformity of thermal radiation Δ MRT s , in each body part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to identify significant lesion features of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) that predict failure of antegrade (A) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using pre-procedure coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) combined with conventional coronary angiography (CCA). Background The current predictors of successful A-PCI in the setting of CTOs are uncertain. Such knowledge might prompt early performance of a retrograde (R)-PCI approach if predictors of A-PCI failure are present. Methods Consecutive patients confirmed to have at least 1 CTO of native coronary arteries underwent coronary CTA- and CCA-guided PCI in which computed tomography and fluoroscopic images were placed side by side before or during PCI. Results The study included 103 patients with 108 CTOs; 80 lesions were successfully treated with A-PCI and 28 lesions failed this approach, for an A-PCI success rate of 74%. A total of 15 of 28 failed cases underwent attempted R-PCI. Only 1 case also failed R-PCI; thus, the total PCI success rate was 87%. By multivariable analysis, the factors significantly predictive of failed A-PCI included negative remodeling (odds ratio [OR]: 137.82) and lesion length >31.89 mm on coronary CTA (OR: 7.04), and ostial or bifurcation lesions on CCA (OR: 8.02). R-PCI was successful in 14 of 15 patients (93.3%), in whom good appearance of the occluded distal segment and well-developed collateral vessels were present. Conclusions Morphologic predictors of failed A-PCI on the basis of pre-procedure coronary CTA and CCA imaging may be identified, which may assist in determining which patients with CTO lesions would benefit from an early R-PCI strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhuke-Hulu tea is an herbal tea widely enjoyed by people in Southern China. For the first time the phytochemical compositions of Zhuke-Hulu tea ethanol extract (ZHTE) were analyzed by GC-MS and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, and the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated. Several categories of substances in ZHTE were identified, among which organic acids, phenolics/phenolic acids and flavonoids were the major components. ZHTE showed significant anti-oxidant activity as measured by free radical scavenging assays and reducing power test. Moreover, ZHTE exhibited cytoprotective effect against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress damage by enhancing endogenous anti-oxidant defense system and Nrf2 nuclear translocation. In addition, ZHTE also exerted anti-inflammatory efficiency by down-regulating the protein levels of iNOS and COX-2 as well as the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In parallel, ZHTE alleviated intestinal inflammation induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) through reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines level, inhibiting inflammatory cell infiltration, and modulating gut microbiota. These findings provide a solid foundation for the nutraceutical benefits of Zhuke-Hulu tea and promote its consumption as a functional beverage. [Display omitted] • Phytochemical profile of Zhuke-hulu tea ethanol extract (ZHTE) was firstly analyzed. • Organic acids, polyphenols and flavonoids were the major components of ZHTE. • ZHTE showed significant anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. • ZHTE showed remarkable cytoprotective effect against oxidative stress damage. • Anti-colitis effect of ZHTE was related to the regulation of gut microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms underpinning high energy storage density in lead-free Ag 1–3 x Nd x Ta y Nb 1- y O 3 antiferroelectric (AFE) ceramics have been investigated. Rietveld refinements of in-situ synchrotron X-ray data reveal that the structure remains quadrupled and orthorhombic under electric field (E) but adopts a non-centrosymmetric space group, Pmc2 1 , in which the cations exhibit a ferrielectric configuration. Nd and Ta doping both stabilize the AFE structure, thereby increasing the AFE-ferrielectric switching field from 150 to 350 kV cm−1. Domain size and correlation length of AFE/ferrielectric coupling reduce with Nd doping, leading to slimmer hysteresis loops. The maximum polarization (P max) is optimized through A-site aliovalent doping which also decreases electrical conductivity, permitting the application of a larger E. These effects combine to enhance energy storage density to give W rec = 6.5 J cm−3 for Ag 0.97 Nd 0.01 Ta 0.20 Nb 0.80 O 3. ga1 Schematic diagram illustrating how energy storage density is optimized through doping in AgNbO 3 and shedding light on the design of novel antiferroelectric (AFE) materials with excellent energy storage density. ● Excellent performance achieved for AgNbO 3 -based antiferroelectric lead-free energy storage ceramics. ● The first observation of a field induced ferrielectric phase. ● 4 principles proposed for the design of high energy density properties of AgNbO 3 -based antiferroelectric ceramics: i) increased resistivity, ii) optimization of maximum polarization, iii) decreased antipolar/polar coupling, and iv) enhanced AFE stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuqu is an important starter culture used for Chinese liquor brewing. And distillers' grains (DGS) are the main by-product of the Chinese liquor industry. Tetramethylpyrazine (TTMP) is an important functional substance and key characteristic aroma component in Chinese liquor. A strain with high TTMP yield was identified as B. amyloliquefaciens XJB-104 and used to produce TTMP using DGS as the medium for solid-state fermentation (SSF). The cultures after SSF were used as Fuqu with high TTMP. DGS could be used as a raw material, and the production process for high TTMP producing Fuqu was developed. TTMP production (1.28 × 103 mg/kg, 365 mg/kg/d) using SSF for 3.5 d was higher than any previous results. Using SSF with DGS may provide a low-cost and effective strategy to produce high TTMP Fuqu. • Bacillus amyloliquefaciens XJB-104 produces large amounts of tetramethylpyrazine. • DGS was used to prepare tetramethylpyrazine functional Fuqu. • High yield and productivity of tetramethylpyrazine was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]