Studies on statistical optimization of sulforaphane production from broccoli seed

Background: Natural sulforaphane (SF) has been of increasing interest for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries due to its anti-cancer effect. The main objective of the present work was to optimize the production of SF from broccoli seed using response surface methodology. Results: Three major factors (hydrolysis time, water volume and ethyl acetate volume) were screened out through Plackett-Burman (PB) factorial design. The methods of steepest ascent combined with central composite design (CCD) were employed for optimization of the SF production process. The optimal extraction conditions for SF production were a hydrolysis time of 13 min, a hydrolysis volume/weight ratio of 2.9:1 (v/g) and an extraction volume/weight ratio of 17.5:1 (v/g). The maximum SF yield was 14.8 \ub1 0.1 mg/g, a value that was in perfect agreement with the actual experimental value (14.8 mg/g). Conclusions: These results suggested that PB design combined with CCD were proved effective in screening and optimization of the parameters of SF production

Geometric bionics: Lotus effect helps polystyrene nanotube films get good blood compatibility

Various biomaterials have been widely used for manufacturing biomedical applications including artificial organs, medical devices and disposable clinical apparatus, such as vascular prostheses, blood pumps, artificial kidney, artificial hearts, dialyzers and plasma separators, which could be used in contact with blood^1^. However, the research tasks of improving hemocompatibility of biomaterials have been carrying out with the development of biomedical requirements^2^. Since the interactions that lead to surface-induced thrombosis occurring at the blood-biomaterial interface become a reason of familiar current complications with grafts therapy, improvement of the blood compatibility of artificial polymer surfaces is, therefore a major issue in biomaterials science^3^. After decades of focused research, various approaches of modifying biomaterial surfaces through chemical or biochemical methods to improve their hemocompatibility were obtained^1^. In this article, we report that polystyrene nanotube films with morphology similar to the papilla on lotus leaf can be used as blood-contacted biomaterials by virtue of Lotus effect^4^. Clearly, this idea, resulting from geometric bionics that mimicking the structure design of lotus leaf, is very novel technique for preparation of hemocompatible biomaterials

An Extract of Antrodia camphorata Mycelia Attenuates the Progression of Nephritis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Prone NZB/W F1 Mice

Antrodia camphorata is used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation syndromes and liver-related diseases in Taiwan. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the mycelial extract of A. camphorata (ACE) for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in SLE-prone NZB/W F1 mice. After antibodies against double-stranded DNA appeared in NZB/W mice, the mice were orally administered varying dosages of ACE (100, 200 and 400 mg kg−1) for 5 consecutive days per week for 12 weeks via gavage. To assess the efficacy of ACE, we measured SLE-associated biochemical and histopathological biomarkers levels of blood urine nitrogen (BUN), blood creatinine, urine protein and urine creatinine and thickness of the kidney glomerular basement membrane by staining with periodic acid-Schiff. Antroquinonol, an active component of ACE, was investigated for anti-inflammation activity in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 267.4 cells. ACE at 400 mg kg−1 significantly suppressed urine protein and serum BUN levels and decreased the thickness of the kidney glomerular basement membrane. Antroquinonol significantly inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β by 75 and 78%, respectively. In conclusion, ACE reduced urine protein and creatinine levels and suppressed the thickening of the kidney glomerular basement membrane, suggesting that ACE protects the kidney from immunological damage resulting from autoimmune disease

O R I G I N A L A R T I C L E Effects of dietary corn oil and vitamin E supplementation on fatty acid profiles and expression of acetyl CoA carboxylase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene in Hu sheepa sj_731 165..171

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary corn oil and vitamin E supplementation on fatty acid (FA) profiles and abundances of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and D 9 stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) mRNA of Hu sheep. Animals were allocated to three dietary treatments: basal and supplemented with 3% corn oil (CNO), or CNO plus 500 mg/kg vitamin E (COE). The experiment lasted for 10 weeks. No differences were observed in growth performance and carcass qualities among the three treatments (P > 0.05). Feeding CNO and COE diets increased polyunsaturated FAs including cis 9 trans 11 conjugated linoleic acid, and decreased saturated FA in longissimus muscle (P < 0.05). The mRNA abundances of ACC and SCD as detected by real-time PCR were reduced (P < 0.05) in liver and subcutaneous fat by supplementary oil, while the SCD mRNA level in longissimus muscle was also reduced (P < 0.05). Inclusion of vitamin E did not have further effects on mRNA abundances of these two enzymes. It is suggested that dietary corn oil supplementation may reduce FA biosynthesis and influence FA profiles in Hu sheep through decreased expression of both ACC and SCD genes

The economic burden of chronic neurological disease

Figure S2. Forest plots of the 5 studies evaluating the association between EP and endometriosis according to the endometriosis stage (stage 4 versus stage 1, and stages 3–4 versus stages 1–2). (TIFF 2134 kb

The Next Generation Virgo cluster Survey. V. modelling the dynamics of M87 with the Made-to-Measure method

We study the dynamics of the giant elliptical galaxy M87 from the central to the outermost regions with the made-to-measure (M2M) method. We use a new catalogue of 922 globular cluster line-of- sight velocities extending to a projected radius of 180 kpc (equivalent to 25 M87 effective radii), and SAURON integral field unit data within the central 2.4 kpc. 263 globular clusters, mainly located beyond 40 kpc, are newly observed by the Next Generation Virgo Survey (NGVS). For the M2M modelling, the gravitational potential is taken as a combination of a luminous matter potential with a constant stellar mass-to-light ratio and a dark matter potential modelled as a logarithmic potential. Our best dynamical model returns a stellar mass-to-light ratio in the I band of M/LI = 6.0(+ -0.3) M_sun/L_sun with a dark matter potential scale velocity of 591(+ -50) km/s and scale radius of 42(+ -10) kpc. We determine the total mass of M87 within 180 kpc to be (1.5 + - 0.2) 10^13 M_sun. The mass within 40 kpc is smaller than previous estimates determined using globular cluster kinematics that did not extend beyond 45 kpc. With our new globular cluster velocities at much larger radii, we see that globular clusters around 40 kpc show an anomalously large velocity dispersion which affected previous results. The mass we derived is in good agreement with that inferred from ROSAT X-ray observation out to 180 kpc. Within 30 kpc our mass is also consistent with that inferred from Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observations, while within 120 kpc it is about 20% smaller. The model velocity dispersion anisotropy beta parameter for the globular clusters in M87 is small, varying from -0.2 at the centre to 0.2 at 40 kpc, and gradually decreasing to zero at 120 kpc.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, Accepted by Ap