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For the first time, the retrogradation behavior of starch during storage under high moisture content was studied from the perspective of short-range ordering of gelled starch. The study found that under high moisture content, the formation of crystal structure was not detected in short-term (1 day) retrogradation, but the short-range ordered structure of amorphous gelled starch increased. By extending the retrogradation time to 7 days, the starch formed an obvious crystal structure. After further extending the retrogradation time, the degree of starch retrogradation increased. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis results indicated that free water was separated from the high moisture content starch gel during the retrogradation process. From the above studies and other results, at high moisture content, gelatinized starch cannot form a crystal structure during short-term storage, but its short-range order increased. As the regeneration time increased, the crystal structure could be formed.

Notopterygium incisum jelly was prepared with Notopterygium incisum decoction pieces as the main raw materials, gelatin, agar, stevia glycoside and potassium sorbate as the auxiliary materials. The processing technology and formula of Notopterygium incisum jelly were optimized by single factor and response surface tests. Results showed that the preparation process of Notopterygium incisum concentrate was as follows: 100.00 g Notopterygium incisum decoction slices was soaked with 800 mL pure water for 30 min, and then decocted on high heat for about 40 min, concentrated to Notopterygium incisum concentrate with relative density of 1.0-1.1 at 50 C. The best formula of Notopterygium incisum jelly product was: the fixed total volume of Notopterygium incisum concentrate and drinking water 21 mL, the dosage of Notopterygium incisum concentrated solution 19.5 mL, stevioside 0.045 g/mL, potassium sorbate 0.4 mg/mL, and the dosage of mixed gel (the mass ratio of gelatin to agar 0.5-4.5) 0.1 g/mL. The jelly product prepared under these conditions had a dense porous structure, which endowed the jelly product with certain hardness, cohesiveness, elasticity, chewability, resilience as well as excellent stability, water retention and oxidation resistance, the product had pleasant Notopterygium incisium fragrance and good taste, the content of isoimperatorin was (0.105 8±0.001 6) mg/g, which had certain nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody production and chronic inflammation. The etiology and pathogenesis of SLE are complicated in which dysfunction of CD4+ T cells is largely engaged. In this study, we investigated the manners of CD4+ T cells in antibody production in a lupus-like mouse model through peritoneal injection of pristane reagent. With the increase in total IgG/IgM and autoantibody production after 6 months, CD4+ T cells exhibited activated phenotypes with the elevated CD44, ICOS, OX40, and PD-1 expression. Pristane injection induced the increase in IgM levels in both wild-type and T cell-deficient TCRα-/- mice whereas IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a production was impaired. When adoptively transferring CD4+ T cells into T cell-deficient mice or coculturing CD4+ T cells and B cells in vitro, it was found that CD4+ T cells derived from pristane-treated mice could help the production of total IgG as well as IgG1/IgG2a in a more efficient manner both in vivo and in vitro. While MHC was dispensable for IgG production, ICAM-1 likely functioned as an attenuating factor for IgG production. Our study thus reveals that CD4+ T cells in pristane-treated mice play important roles in IgG production, which implies the critical roles in the induction of pathological autoantibodies in MHC-independent and ICAM-1-dependent manners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]