Study on mechanical properties of soil-rock mixture of various compactness subjected to freeze-thaw cycles

The soil-rock mixture,a collection of soil particles and rock blocks,is inherently heterogeneous and anisotropic due to significant particle size and material strength differences.This study conducts triaxial tests on soil-rock mixture samples of various compactness subjected to varying freeze-thaw cycles.A mesoscopic simulation is carried out by particle flow code(PFC)to analyze the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties of soil and rock particles.The results show that the mechanical properties of the soil-rock mixture under freeze-thaw cycles are greatly affected by the initial compaction.In general,when the degree of compaction is higher,the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the soil-rock mixture is greater.The stress-strain curves of the samples with different compactness demonstrate strain-softening behavior.The freeze-thaw cycles greatly influence the failure strength of the samples with a higher degree of compaction but have little impact on the samples with a lower degree of compaction.On the microscopic level,during freeze-thaw cycles,the pore volume in the highly compacted sample is too small to accommodate the volume expansion from ice crystal formation,causing significant strength loss among the soil and rock particles and deterioration of the macroscopic properties of the soil-rock mixture.

Use of 1.32-μm and 1.06-μm wavelength lasers for vascular cutting in a porcine model of liver and stomach bleeding

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate 1.32-μm and 1.06-μm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet(Nd:YAG) lasers for use in liver and gastroepiploic vessel vaporization and coagulation. Methods The effects of 1.32-μm and 1.06-μm Nd:YAG lasers were compared for gastroepiploic vessel hemostasis in porcine liver.Results The results were observed and measured under the same parameters and dose conditions. The 1.32-μm laser showed greater vaporization width and depth than the 1.06-μm laser. Both lasers controlled active bleeding. The coagulation band with the 1.32-μm laser was thinner than with the 1.06-μm laser, at nearly 3 mm. After cutting of 1-and 2-mm porcine vessels, no grossly visible bleeding was apparent. Intravascular thrombus was visible under the microscope. The length of vessel thrombosis in the experimental group was 2 mm and the diameter was 2 mm; the control group exhibited thrombi as 2.3–4.9 mm in length. Thrombosis completely blocked the blood vessels.Conclusion The 1.32-μm laser had greater vaporization capability than the 1.06-μm laser and achieved hemostasis requirements for vessels less than 2 mm in diameter.

Gut liver brain axis in diseases:the implications for therapeutic interventions

Gut-liver-brain axis is a three-way highway of information interaction system among the gastrointestinal tract,liver,and nervous systems.In the past few decades,breakthrough progress has been made in the gut liver brain axis,mainly through understanding its formation mechanism and increasing treatment strategies.In this review,we discuss various complex networks including barrier permeability,gut hormones,gut microbial metabolites,vagus nerve,neurotransmitters,immunity,brain toxic metabolites,β-amyloid(Aβ)metabolism,and epigenetic regulation in the gut-liver-brain axis.Some therapies containing antibiotics,probiotics,prebiotics,synbiotics,fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),polyphenols,low FODMAP diet and nanotechnology application regulate the gut liver brain axis.Besides,some special treatments targeting gut-liver axis include farnesoid X receptor(FXR)agonists,takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5(TGR5)agonists,glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1)receptor antagonists and fibroblast growth factor 19(FGF19)analogs.Targeting gut-brain axis embraces cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT),antidepressants and tryptophan metabolism-related therapies.Targeting liver-brain axis contains epigenetic regulation and Aβmetabolism-related therapies.In the future,a better understanding of gut-liver-brain axis interactions will promote the development of novel preventative strategies and the discovery of precise therapeutic targets in multiple diseases.

Chemical composition,pharmacological activity and development strategies of Rubus chingii:A review

Raspberries are used for both food and medicine,but it has not yet attracted widespread attention.In this paper,the chemical constituen of the original plant raspberry.R.chingii is one of the new“Zhe Bawei”medicinal materials selected in 2017.“Zhe Bawei”refers to eight kinds of genuine medicinal materials in Zhejiang Province.The chemical constituents,pharmacological effects,processing,and application of Rubus chingii Hu were reviewed to provide a reference for its further development.Relevant literature in recent years was collected in databases such as China Knowledge Network,Web of Science,Elsevier,PubMed,and X-Mol,using“raspberry”,“Rubus chingii”,“traditional use”,“chemical composition”,“pharmacology”,etc.as keywords individually or in combination.The summary of pharmacological activities shows that the relationship between the pharmacological activities of raspberry is still not deep enough.More in-depth research should be carried out in this direction to explore the mechanism of action of its active ingredients and provide effective reference for the further development of the raspberry industry.In the future,with the participation of more researchers,it is expected to develop innovative drugs based on raspberry for the treatment of diseases.

Comprehensive summary of material basis-Laying a foundation for substances of medicine food homology development

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has experienced the stages of ancient medicine,internal or external treatment and prescription medicine during thousands of years.“Excellent doctor preventive treatment of disease,or casual treatment”has always been the highest state pursued by practitioners of TCM.

Comparative chemical characters of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen from geographical origins of China

Background:Ziziphi Spinosae Semen(ZSS)contains a wide range of active components.Because existingmethods cannot fully evaluate these components,a new quantitative method needs to be established for component characterization.Objective:Ziziphi Spinosae Semen has gained increasing attention in recent years,primarily as a medicinal and edible plant.The content determination of ZSS is not specified in the Chinese Pharmacopeia(2020 edition).Environmental conditions in different production areas can influence the quality of ZSS.This study aims to identify ZSS collected from various geographical origins in China.Materials and methods:High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)fingerprints were established using optimized HPLCphoto-diode array methods.Subsequently,similarity analysis and quantification of ZSS from different sources were conducted.Metabolites of ZSS were identified and evaluated using the UHPLC-Q Exactive HF Orbitrap MS system.Principal component analysis,hierarchical cluster analysis,and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were performed based on all peak areas.Results:In this study,the components of ZSS against insomnia were screened through network pharmacology.As revealed by the results of protein-protein interaction network analysis,Gene Ontology analysis,and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis,14 core components,10 core targets,and 25 pathways were identified.Thirty-four batches of ZSS fingerprints were established through the HPLC method,which identified 12 characteristic peaks,with 6 being qualitatively identified.An identification method for assessing differences in the chemical composition of ZSS from different origins was developed by using UHPLC-Q Exactive HF Orbitrap MS.Differential markers from various origins were screened and identified.Through multiple analyses such as principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis,it was concluded that there were differences in ZSS metabolites from Hebei,Shandong,and Shaanxi provinces.Seventeen differential metabolites of different origins were identified.Conclusions:This study confirmed that ZSS played a synergistic role in improving insomnia throughmultiple components,targets,and pathways.The content of all 5 components was high,except for jujuboside B.In addition,6 compounds in ZSS extracts from different origins differed in content,indicating that different growth environments might impact the quality of ZSS.

Preparation, structure characterization, and in vitro bioactivity of yam starch-polyphenol complex

Background:Chinese yam(Dioscorea opposita Thunb.),with medicinal and edible properties,holds a significant position in both traditional medicine and food in China.It is rich in resistant starch(RS),which imparts various beneficial effects,including anticonstipation,regulation of blood lipids,and prevention of gastric ulcers.However,the resistance of native yam starch to digestion diminishes during cooking,necessitating suitable modifications.Objective:In this article,yam starch was complexed with five different polyphenols to create RS5.The goal was to explore how these diverse polyphenols influence the physicochemical characteristics and bioactivities associated with yam RS.Method:Yam starch-polyphenol complexes,involving five different polyphenols,namely,magnolol(MAG),ferulic acid(FA),resveratrol(RES),apple polyphenols(APs),and green tea polyphenols(GTPs),were prepared.The investigation encompassed the assessment of physicochemical properties,structural traits,in vitro cholate binding capacity,and in vitro antidigestive effects of these complexes.Results:The results highlight the pronounced affinity of MAG for yam starch,followed by FA.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveals that starch-polyphenol binding primarily involves noncovalent interactions.X-ray diffraction analysis discloses V-type crystal structures in YS-MAG,YS-APs,and YS-GTPs complexes.The incorporation of polyphenols reduces the thermal stability of starchwhile enhancing its in vitro cholate binding capacity,restraining starch digestion,and elevating RS content.Notably,YS-FA exhibits an impressive RS content of up to 54.15%.In addition,YS-MAG and YS-FA significantly enhance the production of short-chain fatty acids.These findings deepen our comprehension of the interplay between yam starch and polyphenols,offering valuable insights for the development of novel food products with enhanced health benefits.

Engineering of triterpene metabolism and overexpression of the lignin biosynthesis gene PAL promotes ginsenoside Rg3 accumulation in ginseng plant chassis

The ginsenoside Rgfound in Panax species has extensive pharmacological properties,in particular anti-cancer effects.However,its natural yield in Panax plants is limited.Here,we report a multimodular strategy to improve yields of Rgin a Panax ginseng chassis,combining engineering of triterpene metabolism and overexpression of a lignin biosynthesis gene,phenylalanine ammonia lyase(PAL).We first performed semi-rational design and site mutagenesis to improve the enzymatic efficiency of Pq3-O-UGT2,a glycosyltransferase that directly catalyzes the biosynthesis of Rgfrom Rh.Next,we used clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9(Cas9)gene editing to knock down the branch pathway of protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside biosynthesis to enhance the metabolic flux of the protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside Rg.Overexpression of PAL accelerated the formation of the xylem structure,significantly improving ginsenoside Rgaccumulation(to 6.19-fold higher than in thecontrol).Wecombinedoverexpression of the ginsenoside aglycon synthetic genes squalene epoxidase,Pq3-O-UGT2,and PAL with CRISPR/Cas9-based knockdown of CYP716A53v2 to improve ginsenoside Rgaccumulation.Finally,we produced ginsenoside Rgat a yield of 83.6 mg/L in a shake flask(7.0 mg/g dry weight,21.12-fold higher than with wild-type cultures).The highproduction system established in this study could be a potential platform to produce the ginsenoside Rgcommercially for pharmaceutical use.

Comparative chemical characters of Pseudostellaria heterophylla from geographical origins of China

Objective:Pseudostellaria heterophylla has been paid more attention in recent years,mainly as a medicine food homology plant.The content determination of P.heterophylla is not specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(version 2020).The environmental conditions in different production areas could exert an influence on the quality of P.heterophylla.The purpose of this study is to discriminate P.heterophylla collected from different geographical origins of China.Methods:In this study,the content of polysaccharide in 28 batches of P.heterophylla was determined using phenol–sulfuric acid.HPLC fingerprints were established under optimised HPLC-PDA methods.Subsequently,the similarity analysis(SA)and the quantification of heterophyllin B were analyzed.The metabolites of P.heterophylla were identified and evaluated using UHPLC-Q Exactive HF orbitrap MS system.Principal component analysis(PCA),partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA)and orthogonal PLS-DA(OPLS-DA)were performed based on all peak areas.Results:The polysaccharide content in Guizhou and Jiangsu was higher than that of other production areas,which varied significant from different origins.While the content of heterophyllin B in Anhui and Jiangsu was high.The correlation coefficients of HPLC fingerprints for 28 batches samples ranged from 0.877 to 0.990,and the characteristic map can be used to identify and evaluate the quality of P.heterophylla.The samples from Fujian,Guizhou,Jiangsu provinces can be relatively separated using multivariate statistical analysis including PCA,PLS-DA,HCA,OPLS-DA,indicating that their metabolic compositions were significantly different.Ultimately,a total of 15 metabolites which were filtrated by a VIPvalue>1 and a P-value<0.05 associated with the separation of different origins were identified.Conclusion:HPLC fingerprint was established to evaluate the quality and authenticity of P.heterophylla.The present work showed that the difference of geographic distributions had an influence on the internal chemical compositions.A sensitive and rapid untargeted metabolomics approach by UHPLC-Q Exactive HF orbitrap MS was utilized to evaluate P.heterophylla from different origins in China for the first time.Overall,this study provides insights to metabolomics of P.heterophylla and supplies important reference values for the development of functional foods.

LC-ELSD analysis for simultaneous determination of five components in the Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu capsules

A reliable and accurate liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection(LC-ELSD)method was developed for simultaneous determination of five constituents in Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu capsule,a widely used prescription of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).The chromatographic separation was performed on a Symmetry C_(18)column(150 mm×4.6 mm,5.0μm)using gradient elution of acetonitrile and water(containing 1.0%acetic acid).The flow rate was 0.6 mL/min and the temperature of column was 30℃.A good linearity correlation was obtained over the investigated concentration ranges.Recoveries of the five components varied from 97.31%to 99.84%(RSD<4.0%).The validated method was successfully applied to the quality assessment of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu capsule.