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New food processing technology is required for food production with high quality and healthfulness. In this study, a novel application was developed to extract lard from pig fatback, a by-product of the slaughter plant, by an aqueous enzymatic extraction method (AEE). Various proteases with different properties including Alcalase 2.4 L, Neutrase 1.5 MG, Flavourzyme 1000 L, and Protamex were evaluated for their efficiency in oil release and lard qualities. Alcalase 2.4 L was more effective for oil extraction with a yield of 95.19%. A high quality of lard was produced by AEE in comparison with lards produced by conventional extraction methods in aspects of color, acid value, peroxide value, phospholipids, cholesterol, and oxidation stability. A further refinement to reduce cholesterol from lard by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was developed and the optimal conditions were established. The optimal conditions were 7% β-CD addition (w/w) to a mixture of equal amount of lard and distilled water at reaction temperature 50°C for about 60 min. The cholesterol content of lard from this refinement process was about 3.2 mg/100 g which was about 93.7% reduction from 51.2 mg/100 g. This simple process by AEE and cholesterol reduction did not affect the composition of fatty acids and construction of triglyceride. Factors that were components of lard or produced during the lard extraction processes were evaluated for their influence on the cholesterol removal. Phospholipids could slightly enhance cholesterol removal, while free fatty acids with saturated or unsaturated aliphatic chains would have inhibitory effects because of their competition with cholesterol for β-CD. Practical applications: An excellent quality of lard was produced by a novel application of an aqueous enzymatic extraction method (AEE). This lard could be further refined by β-cyclodextrin for cholesterol reduction. This procedure would be a promising technology to obtain healthy lard and explore animal by-products for the food industry. This lard with high nutrients could have very broad applications such as in baking, cooking, deep fat frying in food industry. Lard obtained by combination of aqueous enzymatic extraction and β-cyclodextrin treatment presented high quality and very low cholesterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Tb3+—doped natural sodium feldspar (NaAlSi3O8) phosphors have been successfully prepared using high−temperature solid—state method with natural sodium feldspar as a substrate. Energy—dispersive X—ray spectrometry analysis (EDX) of NaAlSi3O8 showed that 0.03 wt% of Eu element was present, and elemental distribution mapping analysis showed that the distribution of trace Eu in minerals was aggregated. The crystal structure and luminescence properties of the natural sodium Eu—containing feldspar and synthetic sodium feldspar NaAlSi3O8:Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphors are discussed in detail. The crystal structure analysis of the samples showed that the Na+ in the natural matrix was partly replaced by the doped Tb3+. Studies on the photoluminescence properties of the samples indicate that Eu does not form a luminescent center in the natural mineral, however, the strong characteristic peak of Eu3+ at 615 nm appears after doping with Tb3+ and the peak at 615 nm increases with the increase of Tb3+ concentration. According to the above spectral results, the energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ is obtained. Through the measurement and analysis of color coordinates, it is found that with the increase of Tb3+ concentration, the luminescence color of the samples can be regulated in the green to red region. NaAlSi3O8:Eu3+ Tb3+ phosphors has potential application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between the aortic dimensions (of the aortic sinus, aortic annulus and aortic arch) and physiological variables have not been established in the Chinese population. The present study examined the associations among physiological variables to determine the aortic root and arch dimensions echocardiographically. The diameters of the aortic sinus, annulus and arch were measured in 1,010 subjects via 2-D echocardiography with a 3.5-MHz transducer in a trans-thoracic position. The images of the aortic sinus and aortic annulus were obtained from a standard parasternal long-axis view. The maximum diameter of the valve orifice was measured at the end of systole. The aortic arch dimension was visualized in the long-axis using a suprasternal notch window and the maximum transverse diameter was measured. Epidata 3.0, Excel 2007 and SPSS version 17.0 were used to collect and analyze the data. A total of 1,010 subjects were enrolled. The mean age was 55.0±17.0 years (range of 18 to 90 years). The body surface area (BSA) was the best predictor of all the studied physiological variables and may be used to predict aortic sinus, annulus and arch dimensions independently (r=0.54, 0.37 and 0.39, respectively). Gender, blood pressure, age and BSA are significant predictors of the aortic dimensions. Of these, BSA was the best predictor.

Background: The effect of Doxorubicin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, on early mouse embryonic development has not been previously characterized., Materials and Methods: Expression of apoptosis-related genes and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family genes were assessed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Apoptosis in mouse blastocysts was tested using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Cleaved (c)-PARP was analyzed by western blot., Results: A 20 h exposure to doxorubicin caused rapid cytoplasmic fragmentation, DNA condensation and disruption of the cytoskeleton in mouse embryos. Doxorubicin altered the expression of genes involved in DNA repair and apoptosis and blocked early embryonic development, suggesting that doxorubicin affects DNA synthesis and repair. Furthermore, the effect of doxorubicin on early embryo development was determined by assessing the rates of development to different stages and an apoptosis index. Both assays confirmed that doxorubicin altered embryonic development. In conclusion, doxorubicin blocked pre-implantation development in early mouse embryos by altering apoptosis-related gene expression and inactivating DNA repair by PARP.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) using sibling oocytes for treatment of primary and secondary infertility., Methods: A total of 149 cycles of IVF and ICSI were conducted between January, 2003 and December, 2008 in our center, including 98 cycles in patients with primary infertility and 51 in those with secondary infertility. According to the embryos derived from ICSI, IVF and their combination, the clinical pregnancy rate, delivery rate and birth defect of the 3 groups were analyzed., Results: The fertilization failure rate of IVF was significantly higher in primary infertility group than in secondary infertility group (10.2% vs 3.9%, P<0.05). No fertilization failure occurred in ICSI group. The fertilization rates and good quality embryo rates in ICSI group were significant higher than those in IVF group, and the abnormal fertilization rate was significantly lower in ICSI group (P<0.05). No significant difference were found in the implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates, delivery rates or the rates of birth defects of the offsprings between IVF, ICSI and IVF+ICSI groups., Conclusion: IVF combined with ICSI may result in increased fertilization rate and avoid total fertilization failure with favorable clinical outcomes in patients with long-term infertility, and ICSI may not increase the birth defects of the offspring in these patients.

Objective: To explore the quality of the embryos, clinical outcomes and birth defects resulting from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment using sperms of different origins and parameters., Methods: A total of 980 ICSI-ET (embryo-transfer) cycles were divided into 4 groups, namely normal sperm or mild oligozoospermia group (group A), severe oligozoospermia group (group B), epididymal aspirates group (group C) and testicular biopsies group (group D). The cleavage rate, embryo quality, fertilization rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and rates of birth defects were compared between the groups., Results: The fertilization rate, cleavage rate and good-quality embryo rate were not significantly different among the 4 groups (P>0.05), and the embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were significantly higher in group C than in groups A and B (P<0.05). Groups A, B and C showed no significant differences in the rates of birth defects (P>0.05), and no birth defects occurred in group D., Conclusions: Sperms of different parameters and origins used in ICSI treatment can achieve similar fertilization rate, good-quality embryo rate and delivery rate. The embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate of epididymal sperm group are higher than those of ejaculated groups, possibly due to the younger age of the patients and a greater number of oocytes retrieved in group C than in groups A and B.

Objective: To study the clinical features and outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in infertile patients due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or polycystic ovaries (PCO)., Methods: This study involved 189 infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with 129 polycystic ovaries (PCO), and 142 without PCOS or PCO (control) undergoing IVF-ET. The dosage of gonadotrophin (Gn), sex hormone level on the day of HCG administration, clinical pregnancy rate, spontaneous abortion rate and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) rate were analyzed and compared between the 3 groups., Results: No significant differences were found in the clinical pregnancy rate between the PCOS group (202 cycles), PCO group (134 cycles) and control group (150 cycles) (51.0%, 53.0% and 46.0%, respectively). The levels of LH and T and early spontaneous abortion rates were significantly higher in PCOS group than in PCO group and control group (P<0.05). The P level on HCG day was the highest in PCO group (P<0.05). The early spontaneous abortion rates and clinical pregnancy rate showed no significant differences between PCO group and control group (P>0.05). The dosage of Gn was significantly lower and OHSS rate higher in PCOS and PCO groups than in the control group (P<0.05)., Conclusions: The clinical pregnancy rate of infertile patients with PCOS is similar with that of PCO patients and control patients undergoing IVF-ET treatment. PCOS, however, is associated with increased spontaneous abortion rate, possibly due to abnormality of LH and T release. The clinical outcomes in PCO patients are similar with those in the control patients, and elevated P level in the late follicular phase does not obviously influence the outcomes of IVF. Both PCOS and PCO are associated with increased risk of OHSS.

Objective: To investigate the association of the clinical characteristics and the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) of different subtypes., Methods: A total of 189 infertile women with PCOS undergoing IVF-ET were enrolled in this study. According to Rotterdam PCOS diagnosis criteria, the patients were classified into 3 PCOS subtypes, namely type I with PCO ultrasonography and oligo-ovulation/anovulation and hyperandrogenism (54 women, for whom 58 fresh IVF-ET cycles were performed); type II with PCO ultrasonography and oligo-ovulation/anovulation (117 women with 126 cycles); type III with PCO ultrasonography and hyperandrogenism (18 women with 18 cycles). The number of retrieved oocytes, fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, spontaneous abortion rates and incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) were compared between the 3 groups., Results: Except for the baseline serum T concentration in the early phase of menstrual cycle, which was significantly higher in groups I and III than in group II, no significant difference was found in the clinical characteristics between the 3 groups (P>0.05). Group I had the highest initial Gn dose, and the oocyte retrieval rates were significantly lower in groups I and III (P<0.05). The patients in group I had lower implantation rate and the clinical, on-going and cumulative pregnancy rates than groups II and III, but the differences were not statistically significant; the embryo early loss rate and spontaneous abortion rate appeared to be higher in groups I and III (P>0.05). Significantly elevated incidence of OHSS were noted in groups I and III (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The women with different PCOS subtypes according to the Rotterdam criteria all have similar IVF-ET outcomes, and the increased embryo loss rate and spontaneous abortion rate in groups I and III might be associated with excessive androgen that disturbs oocyte and embryo development.

Objective: To clone the truncated Midkine from gastric carcinogenesis tissue and express in Escherichia coli., Methods: A pair of PCR specific primers were designed according to the reported human tMK cDNA sequence in Genbank. The target DNA fragment was obtained by RT-PCR from gastric carcinoma patient's carcinogenesis tissue and cloned into pMD 18 T-vector. After sequencing, the tMK nucleotide fragment was inserted into an E. coli expression vector pBV222. The recombinant plasmid was transferred into E. coli DH5alpha and an E. coli DH5alpha expressed recombinant tMK protein, DH5alpha/pBV222-tMK, was obtained. DH5alpha/pBV222-tMK was cultured and induced with 42 degrees C., Results: Truncated Midkine was cloned from gastric carcinogenesis tissue and the efficiently expressed recombinant tMK protein was obtained. SDS-PAGE indicated the molecular weight of recombinant tMK protein accorded with anticipation., Conclusion: The tMK was expressed in gastric carcinoma of Chinese patients' carcinogenesis tissue. The efficient expression of tMK protein was actualized in E. coli by clone and recombination.