Advanced Materials Research Vols. 998-999

Abstract: The concentrations of essential trace elements such as Mn, Cu, Zn, Fe, Li and Se were determined in pomegranate juice at distinct maturity stages by ICP-MS following microwave-assisted acid digestion. The digestion efficiency was evaluated on the basis of the determination of residual carbon content and residual acidity. 4 mL of 16 mol/L HNO₃ + 2 mL of 30% m/m H₂O₂ solutions were used for the efficient digestion of 3.0 mL pomegranate juice, with a considerable reduction in the residual acidity when compared with a procedure that employed different Digestion procedures. The good agreement between the observed and certified concentrations of the National Tea Standard (China, GBW10016) and the Apple Standard (China, GBW10019) indicate that the developed analytical method was well suited to determine the trace elements contents in similar matrices.

Abstract: Purpose: The adult corneal epithelium is maintained by a population of limbal stem cells (LSCs), transmembrane protein prominin, regarded as stem cell marker was investigated on mouse corneal tissue, to study weather contains CD133-expressing cells and their distribution. Methods: Enucleated mouse eyes were embedded in OCT and cryosections were performed for mmunohistochemical studies using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) procedure. Meanwhile, dissected mouse corneas were analyzed by westernblot. Results: In the adult mouse, 13A4 immunoreactivity was detected at the apical side of superficial corneal epithelium, including the limbus region, but not by stroma and endothelium. 115 KDa protein was approved in corneal tissue by Westernblot. Conclusions: The stem cell activity does not occur along the limbus but presumably presented by small portion of corneal epithelial cells which may hold a similar properties of stem cells.

Abstract: Pineapple leaf fiber is a nature hemp leaf fiber extracted from pineapple leaves. Its structural characteristics was investigated by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The results showed that the percent crystallinity and preferred orientation of crystallites in pineapple fibers were 60.82% and 98.5%, respectively. The average fracture strength of the pineapple leaf fiber is high and the linear density is low, so there is a high fiber spinnability and yarn quality. The present study is expected to provide essential information for the preparation and processing of pineapple leaf fibers.

Abstract: To investigate the relationship between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values measured by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on a 3.0T MR unit and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) determined by renal imaging using Nuclear Medicine ⁹⁹ Tcm-DTPA. 3.0T MRI DWI and 99 Tcm-DTPA renal imaging were simultaneously performed in 30 patients with chronic renal failure. The b values set for DWI imaging were 0, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 s/mm2 and the ADC values of renal cortex were measured. 60 kidneys from the patients were classified into three groups according to the measurements of GFR: mildly impaired renal function, moderately impaired renal function and severely impaired renal function. ADC values of the three groups were compared to determine whether there existed statistic difference and the correlation between ADC values and GFR was also measured. Statistical difference was found in ADC values of the three groups and a positive correlation was identified between ADC values and GFR (r = 0.623). Multi-b-value diffusion-weighted MR imaging at 3.0 T can be used to assess renal filtration function.Abbreviation used: DWI, diffusion-weighted imaging; ADC, apparent diffusion coefficient; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; NEX, number of excitation.

Abstract: Objective: To observe the ability of self-assembly peptide RADA16-І hydrogel, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and polystyrene (PS) scaffolds in supporting the adherent growth of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods: The rat BMSCs were isolated and purified by density gradient centrifugation and adherent culture. The 3^rd passage of BMSCs were used to induced into adipocytes and osteoblasts by inductive medium in vitro, and labeled by infection of adenovirus carried with green fluorescent protein. BMSCs were inoculated on RADA16-І hydrogel, PLGA and PS scaffolds to form cell-scaffold complex. Adhesion rates of BMSCs on different scaffolds were investigated, and cell proliferation was tested by MTT method. Results: Cultured BMSCs presented high uniformity and had multilineage differentiation potential. Adhesion rates of BMSCs on RADA16-І hydrogel, PLGA and PS scaffolds were 92.51%, 78.36% and 59.79% respectively. BMSCs cultured on RADA16-І hydrogel showed higher ability of proliferation than those cultured on PLGA and PS scaffolds after incubation for 7 days (P < 0.05). Conclusion: RADA16-І hydrogel is more suitable than PLGA and PS for attachment and growth of BMSCs.

Abstract: This study aims to enhance the bacteria’s ability to degrade phenol by exploring the phenol-degrading capability of hybrid strains and immobilized cells. Two phenol-degradation strains named as A1 and A2 were isolated respectively.The StrainA1 was identified as Burkholderia, while strain A2 was found to be Bacillus cereuswere. In addition, conditions including inoculum strains , pH value, temperature and dissolved oxygen were tested. . It was shown that: (1)Hybrid strains ( mixed A1 with A2) was better than single strain(A1 or A2) in degrading phenol because of the Synergistic effect. It can completely degraded phenol at the concentration of 300mg/ L, 500mg / L, 700mg / L within 12h, 24h, 48h respectively. (2) The optimum environmental conditions of phenol degradation for hybrid strains culture is 35°C, pH is 7.0, the inoculum strains is 10%. (3) It is beneficial to the degradation of phenol, when the speed of the shaker was improved. (4) Phenol-degradation rate and the tolerance of high concentration of phenol were significantly improved when the A1 and A2 were mixed immoblized.

Abstract: The sensitivity of fluorescence probes built upon the resonance energy transfer is not high enough at present. We built a fluorescence probe with high sensitivity (SA-488-sub-nanogold) by means of the fluorochrome Alexa488 (SA-488) labeled by streptavidin, nanogold, and biotin-subpeptide. When the fluorescence molecule SA-488 binds with the nanogold by biotin-subpeptide, the fluorescence intensity will be suppressed because of resonance energy transfer. If there are molecules under test, the energy transfer will be blocked, by which we can get the molecule content from the fluorescence intensity. Using this probe, we acquired a lower detection limit and a higher sensitivity for biotin detection.

Abstract: Currently, the technology of Case-Based Reasoning is used in the medical field,Such as the medical expert system that is developed for some large and medium-sized hospital, The patient 's medical programs are given by patient illness, The mainly property is descripted with non-numeric attributes about illness symptoms. It is the obstacles that the system can not become popularized for adaptive capacity.However,its adaptive capacity is not strong and non-intelligent , At current,the research about statistics of community health and disease prevention information is still limited ,An adaptive system model of CBR-based health management is presented , Case retrieval is important very mach . The system of community health management is developed to validate the model, The health examination data of five community are inputed in experimental platform in the past three years, The result indicating that the application of case-based reasoning makes the overall health of community residents to get continuous improvement .

Abstract: The accurate detection of traditional Chinese medicine is significant for diagnosis, treatment and control for disease. There is an urgent need for the development of a rapid, simple, and accurate detection method. The high throughput microarray is recommended for use in all researches including those involving rare samples and expensive reagents. Due to the complexity of Chinese medicines interference and multi-target, multi-component, the advantages that sensitivity, reproducibility, and specificity of high-throughput microarrays make it become one of the effective research tools.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capability and preventive effect of probiotics on high fat diet induced oxidative damage. Thirty male rats were randomly divided into three groups.The control group consumed a normal standard diet (5% fat, w:w), the high fat diet group received a high fat diet (20% fat, w:w), and probiotics group received a high fat diet supplemented with 2% probiotics. After 6 weeks, antioxidant capability of liver was determined and DNA fragmentation of liver cell was determined using a comet assay. The results showed that high fat diet could induce oxidative stress, shown as significant increases in lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide free radical, significant decrease in activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, the percentage of DNA fragmentation was markedly increased, compared with control group. These alterations were significantly reversed in probiotics supplemented group and had no significant difference in antioxidant capability, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage compared with control group. Present observation indicated the probiotics had antioxidant property, which could scavenge free radical and enhance antioxidant defense system, and had the positive protective function on oxidative damage.