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Twelve probiotic Lactobacillus strains for poultry were characterised by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) using Sau3AI, TaqI, HaeIII and AluI restriction endonucleases. Species-specific and strain-specific restriction patterns were observed from the bacterial strains. Numerical analysis of composite analysis of ARDRA exhibited D value of 0.8456. Whereas, the caculated D values of ARDRA patterns generated by Sau3AI, TaqI, HaeIII and AluI were 0.8309, 0.8382,0.8088 and 0.8088, repectively. Composite analysis of ARDRA was the most discriminative method when compared to the individual analysis. ARDRA could distinguished L. reuteri C 10 and L. panis C 17 into single strains. The 16S rRNA gene restriction patterns were also able to group L. gallinarum I 16 and I 26 into single strains. Lactobacillus brevis I 12, I 23, I 25, I 211 and I 218 seem to be multiple clones of the same bacterial strain as are L. reuteri C 1 and C 16. ARDRA is a valuable fingerprinting method to discriminate probiotic Lactobacillus strains.

Condensed tannins (CTs) are one of the promising compounds due to their potentially health-promoting qualities. In this study, CTs were extracted from a Leucaena leucocephala hybrid-Rendang and subjected to various biological studies including antioxidant (using Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay), anti-microbial (against different pathogens) and cytotoxic activities (toward human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human colon carcinoma (HT29), human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines) in cancer cells through in vitro experiments. The structural characteristics and purity of CTs extract were determined using 13C NMR. The results showed that CTs exhibited higher in vitro antioxidant activities (2257.12 ± 80.55 mg TEAC/g extract, 605.3 ± 1.82 mg TEAC/g extract and 1014.03 ± 1.20 mg TEAC/g extract in FRAP, ABTS and DPPH assay, respectively) and demonstrated anti-microbial activities toward selected Gram's positive and Gram's negative bacteria tested with MIC and MBC value at 6.25–50 mg/mL. Furthermore, among other selected cancer cells, CTs also demonstrated cytotoxic activity toward human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) (IC50 = 38.33 ± 2.08 μg/mL). Characteristic of apoptosis such as cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation and apoptotic bodies were shown in MCF-7. These preliminary investigations have provided scientific rationale to use CTs as an alternative therapy for various oxidative and inflammatory associated diseases.

Longitudinal studies on cognitive impairment in patients with past history of neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) are scant. In this study, NPSLE patients and matched disease and healthy controls were examined with a full battery of neuropsychological tests that covered eight cognitive domains at two time-points 12 months apart. Confounders, including depressive and anxiety symptoms, were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Eighteen NPSLE, 18 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had no previous cerebral involvement (non-NPSLE) and 16 healthy subjects were recruited. NPSLE patients consistently reported more cognitive and anxiety symptoms than non-NPSLE patients over both time-points. NPSLE patients had significantly worse memory, simple and complex attention compared to non-NPSLE patients, among which memory remained significantly impaired after adjustment for confounders. NPSLE patients demonstrated a trend of higher raw scores of some neurocognitive tests upon re-evaluation over 12 months, but NPSLE patients did not demonstrate any practice effect. In conclusion, NPSLE patients had significantly worse and persistently impaired memory and learning deficits compared to non-NPSLE patients over the 12-month re-assessment period.

The full length phytase gene of Mitsuokella jalaludinii was successfully cloned and was found to be 1 047 bp in length, with 348 amino acids, and was designated as PHY7 phytase gene. A comparison of the sequence of PHY7 phytase gene of M. jalaludinii with various microbial phytase gene sequences showed that it was not similar to those from other bacteria except Selenomonas ruminatium, thus suggesting that they may both express a new class of phytase. The PHY7 phytase gene was subsequently subcloned into bacterial expression vector, pET32a, for expression in Escherichia coli strain Rosetta-gami. Expression of the recombinant phytase gene was optimised and characterised. The recombinant phytase was estimated to be approximately 55 kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis. The recombinant phytase exhibited optimum activity at 55°C, pH 4.5 and showed good pH stability from pH 3.5 to 5.5 (>78% relative activity). Metal ions such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ were found to exert significant stimulatory effect on the recombinant phytase activity while Cu2+, Fe3+, and Zn2+ greatly inhibited the enzyme activity. The recombinant phytase showed moderate resistance to trypsin proteolysis, but susceptible to pepsin proteolysis. The results of the study showed that several characteristics of recombinant phytase were slightly different from the native enzyme. Unfavourable characteristics such as reduced pH stability and metal ion effects should be taken into consideration during feed enzyme formulation.

Responce surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize production of lovastatin from rice straw in solid state fermentation by Aspergillus terreus ATCC 74135. A four-factor-five-level central composite design (CCD) was used to examine the combining effects of temprature, moisture, inoculum and pH on lovastatin production. Results of the CCD study showed that only temperature and moisture contents significantly affected (P

This study aimed to evaluate P300 as an electrophysiological marker of cognitive function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had previous neuropsychiatric (NPSLE) involvement and were diagnosed to have cognitive impairment by standard neuropsychological tests. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were assessed by the auditory and visual oddball paradigms. Amplitude and latency of P300 at the frontal (Fz), central (Cz), and parietal (Pz) regions were determined and compared with controls. P300 detection was performed in NPSLE patients with pre-diagnosed cognitive impairment (n = 9), matched SLE patients without previous NPSLE (non-NPSLE) (n = 9), and healthy controls (n = 15). Auditory oddball task did not show any P300 abnormality between groups. Visual oddball task revealed reduced amplitude of P300 over Fz ( P = .002) and Cz ( P = .009) electrodes in NPSLE patients compared with healthy controls and among those who had predominant memory deficit ( P = .01 at Fz). Abnormal P300 was also observed in non-NPSLE patients at Fz and Cz. Using visual oddball paradigm, abnormal P300 was found in NPSLE patients over frontal and parietal regions compared with normal controls but was not discriminative from possible subclinical disease in non-NPSLE patients. In conclusion, visual oddball paradigm was a more sensitive electrophysiological marker than auditory oddball paradigm for cognitive impairment in NPSLE patients.

This study examined whether and how changes in positive affect and mindfulness predicted changes in cortisol secretion and psychological distress in adaptation to examination stress.A sample of 105 college students completed a questionnaire set and provided salivary samples before (T1), during (T2) and after (T3) an examination period.Latent change score modelling revealed that T1-T2 and T2-T3 increases in mindfulness were associated with larger T2-T3 decrease in area-under-the-curve ground of cortisol awakening response (CARg), whereas T2-T3 increases in both positive affect and mindfulness were associated with larger T2-T3 decrease in anxiety symptoms (comparative fit index = .96; Tucker-Lewis index = .93-.95; root-mean-square error of approximation = .04-.08; standardised root-mean-square residual = .08-.10). T1-T2 and T2-T3 increases in positive affect were not associated T2-T3 decrease in CARg, whereas T1-T2 increases in positive affect and mindfulness were not associated with T2-T3 decrease in anxiety symptoms.The levels of post-stress recovery from anxiety symptoms could depend on concurrent increases in positive affect and mindfulness, whereas the levels of post-stress decline in cortisol secretion could depend on increases in mindfulness both during and after stress. Directions for translating the present findings into stress management programmes in college settings are discussed.

Objectives Existing studies on sleep and behavioral outcomes are mostly correlational. Longitudinal data is limited. The current longitudinal study assessed how sleep duration and sleep quality may be causally linked to daytime functions, including physical health (physical well‐being and daytime sleepiness), psychological health (mood and self-esteem) and academic functioning (school grades and study effort). The mediation role of mood in the relationship between sleep quality, sleep duration and these daytime functions is also assessed. Methods A sample of 930 Chinese students (aged 18–25) from Hong Kong/Macau completed self-reported questionnaires online across three academic semesters. Sleep behaviors are assessed by the Sleep Timing Questionnaire (for sleep duration and weekday/weekend sleep discrepancy) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (sleep quality); physical health by the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale—Brief Version (physical well‐being) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (daytime sleepiness); psychological health by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (mood) and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (self-esteem) and academic functioning by grade-point-average and the College Student Expectation Questionnaire (study effort). Results Structural equation modeling with a bootstrap resample of 5000 showed that after controlling for demographics and participants' daytime functions at baseline, academic functions, physical and psychological health were predicted by the duration and quality of sleep. While some sleep behaviors directly predicted daytime functions, others had an indirect effect on daytime functions through negative mood, such as anxiety. Conclusion Sleep duration and quality have direct and indirect (via mood) effects on college students' academic function, physical and psychological health. Our findings underscore the importance of healthy sleep patterns for better adjustment in college years.

Negative cancer-related intrusive thoughts reduce the benefit of relationship quality on the psychological adjustment of cancer patients. Little is known about the role of perceived control over cancer-related problems in the association between relationship quality and adjustment.This study examined whether perceived personal control (i.e., on one's own) and collective control (i.e., collaboration with family/friends) mediate the associations between relationship quality and psychological outcomes.Chinese colorectal cancer patients (n = 234) were assessed at diagnosis (T1) and at 3- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups.T2 collective control mediated the association between T1 family relationship quality and T3 satisfaction with life. The negative association between T1 family relationship quality and T3 depression was independent of T2 personal/collective control.Collective control mediates the relationship between family relationship quality and satisfaction with life, suggesting the need for interventions to enhance relationship quality and perceived control among newly diagnosed cancer patients.