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Wheat tempering is an important step in wheat milling process. Appropriate tempering method is beneficial to shorten tempering time, reduce microbial content, improve the quality of flour and by-products, reduce energy consumption and save production cost. However, tempering process is often affected by multiple factors such as raw grain varieties, water quality, water addition, time, temperature, season and climate. At present, wheat flour processing enterprises are facing technical problems such as uneven tempering and easy breeding of microorganisms in the tempering process. In this paper, the basic principle of wheat tempering and the effects of raw grain, water addition, different temperature and humidity, time and other factors on wheat tempering were introduced in detail. The effects of different tempering methods such as heat treatment, vibration, ultrasound, vacuum, fracturing damage, biological enzyme preparation, salt water, acid water and other sterilization treatment on wheat processing and product quality were emphatically expounded. The advantages and disadvantages of different tempering methods and their application in current domestic production were also summarized in order to provide reference for wheat milling enterprises. Finally, it is pointed out that further research should be carried out on the accurate calculation and regulation of water content and the combination of different tempering methods and its effects on flour application quality for different wheat varieties.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging hemorrhagic fever caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV), a newly discovered phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae (1,2). SFTS was reported in China [...]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging hemorrhagic fever caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV), a recently discovered phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae (1). SFTS has been reported in [...]

The distribution of type I and II chalcone isomerases (CHIs) in plants is highly family specific. We have previously reported that ancient land plants, such as the liverworts and Selaginella moellendorffii , harbor type II CHIs. To better understand the function and evolution of CHI-fold proteins, transcriptomic data obtained from 52 pteridophyte species were subjected to sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. The residues determining type I/II CHI identity in the pteridophyte CHIs were identical to those of type I CHIs. The enzymatic characterization of a sample of 24 CHIs, representing all the key pteridophyte lineages, demonstrated that 19 of them were type I enzymes and that five exhibited some type II activity due to an amino acid mutation. Two pteridophyte chalcone synthases (CHSs) were also characterized, and a type IV CHI (CHIL) was demonstrated to interact physically with CHSs and CHI, and to increase CHS activity by decreasing derailment products, thus enhancing flavonoid production. These findings suggest that the emergence of type I CHIs may have coincided with the divergence of the pteridophytes. This study deepens our understanding of the molecular mechanism of CHIL as an enhancer in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the Editor: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is caused by hantavirus. During 1995-2005, China reported 20,000-50,000 cases of HFRS annually, which represents 90% of HFRS cases worldwide (1-3). [...]

Background: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs in several clinical situations and after intestinal transplantation. This study aimed to examine the role of rhubarb peony decoction (RPD) in intestinal I/R injury., Methods: Different concentrations of RPD were set to treat IEC-6 and Caco-2 cells. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing was performed on IEC-6 cells treated with hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) or HR and RPD., Results: RPD treatment significantly promoted the proliferation of IEC-6 and Caco-2 cells and inhibited apoptosis. Sequencing results identified 109 significantly up-regulated genes and 36 significantly down-regulated genes in the RPD group. In addition, the results of western blot suggested that HR induced the expression of c-Fos, and the treatment of RPD prevented the HR-induced c- Fos expression. Importantly, knockdown of c-Fos rescued the HR-inhibited cell proliferation and HR-induced apoptosis., Conclusions: In conclusion, RPD was beneficial in protecting the survival of intestinal epithelial cells under HR stress. Furthermore, the increase in c-Fos expression after HR stress was closely related to the proliferation and apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

A new species, Oreocharis xieyongii T. Deng, D.G. Zhang & H. Sun, from Hunan Province, central China, is described. The combination of purple zygomorphic corolla with longer adaxial lobes and exserted stamens defines the species and discriminates it from all other current Oreocharis species. Morphological traits of the new species were compared to those of two similar species, Oreocharis xiangguiensis and O. rubrostriata . Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the new species is nested within the Oreocharis . Although only half of Oreocharis species were included in our study, evolutionary character analysis indicates that the ancestral states of the genus are likely the purple corolla, longer abaxial lip and inserted stamens. The longer adaxial lip is perhaps an apomorphy and only present in O. xieyongii and O. rubrostriata . Both morphological and molecular evidence suggest that O. xieyongii is a taxon new to science., Competing Interests: The authors no conflicts of interest., (© 2022 Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.)

Objective: To investigate the effects of total alkaloids of harmaline on learning and memory in vascular dementia rats, and its mechanism., Methods: The model rats of vascular dementia were established with bilateral carotid artery ligation. After 30 days, the model rats were randomly divided into six groups: sham group, model group, nicergoline tablets 7 mg/kg group, and 25, 12.5 and 6.25 mg/kg dose groups of total alkaloids of harmaline, the rats were given medicine for 30 days. Learning and memory abilities were tested by Morris water maze, histomorphology in hippocampal CA1 area were observed by HE staining, BAX and BCL-2 protein expression in hippocampal CA1 area were detected by immunohistochemistry., Results: Compared with model group, 25 mg/kg group of total alkaloids of harmaline shortened the incubation period in the third and fourth day significantly, 12.5 mg/kg group of total alkaloids of harmaline shortened the incubation period in the fourth day. 25 and 12.5 mg/kg groups of total alkaloids of harmaline significantly increased the times crossing the target. Total alkaloids of harmaline improved the neurons pathological changes of rat in the hippocampus CA1 area, 25 and 12.5 mg/kg of total alkaloids of harmaline downregulated the expression of apoptosis proteins BAX, upregulated the protein expression of BCL-2., Conclusion: Total alkaloids of harmaline can improve the learning and memory abilities in vascular dementia rats, which probably is related to inhibiting apoptosis of hippocampus cell.

Objective: To observe the impacts of moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and Guanyuan (CV 4) on red blood cell (RBC) immune function and T-lymphocyte subsets in athletes., Methods: Twenty-four table tennis players in the training were divided into a trial group and a control group according to the paired design, 12 cases in each one. The training program was the same in two groups. In the trial group, the players received moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and Guanyuan (CV 4) 3 hours after training for 15 min, the treatment was given once each day, continuously for 5 weeks. In the control group, no moxibustion was applied. Before and after trial, the cycle ergometer was adopted for the fixed-load exercise. After exercise, the blood was collected from the vein for the detection of RBC C3b receptor rosette rate (RBC-C3bRR), RBC immune compound rosette rate (RBC-ICR) and T lymphocyte subsets CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8., Results: (1) Compared with the results before trial in the trial group and those in the control group, RBC-C3bRR was increased apparently and RBC-ICR was decreased significantly after trail in the trial group (all P < 0.01). The levels of CD3 and CD4 were increased as compared with the control group (both P < 0.05). In the control group, the differences in CD8 and CD4/CD8 were not significant statistically as compared with those before trial and those in the trail group (both P > 0.05); (2) In the control group, compared with the results before trial, RBC-C3bRR was reduced apparently (P < 0.05), the levels of CD3, CD4 and CD8 as well as CD4/CD8 were all reduced after trial (all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: For the athletes after heavy-load training, RBC immune and T-lymphocyte subsets function is decreased and the immunity is declined. Moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and Guanyuan (CV 4) could improve erythrocyte immune function, relieve T-lymphocyte subsets function abnormality and increase the immunity in the athletes.

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of circulating type II pre-dendritic cells (pDC2) and evaluate its role in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection., Methods: The quantitative alterations of pDC2 in 27 chronic HBV-infected patients as treated group and 15 healthy individuals as a control group were analyzed by using flow cytometry based on the comparison of CD4+/CD8+ ratios of T lymphocyte subsets between the two groups. The IFN-alpha-producing ability of pDC2 after incubation was determined by ELISA., Results: The percentage of pDC2 (0.096 +/- 0.086) from the peripheral blood in chronic HBV-infected patients were significantly lower than that (0.304 +/- 0.093) from the normal controls (P less than 0.001) while the CD4+/CD8+ ratios were higher than those in normal controls (P less than 0.01). The values of IFN-alpha-producing function and IL-12 of circulating pDC2 in chronic HBV-infected patients group were significantly lower than those in healthy subjects (P < 0.001). The percentage of pDC2 and CD4+/CD8+ ratios were higher in the patients positive for HBV DNA in sera than those in patients negative for HBV DNA in sera (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: The decreased number of circulating pDC2 and IFN-alpha-producing function from peripheral blood in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection may result in the decline of host immune response, which may partially contribute to the disease progress of HBV infection and existence of viral genomic DNA in patient's sera.