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In most previous ice–ship interaction studies involving fluid effects, ice was taken as unbreakable. Building breakable level ice on water domain is still a big challenge in numerical simulation. This paper overcomes this difficulty and presents a numerical modeling of a ship moving in level ice on the water by using a one-way CFD-DEM (computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method) coupling method. The detailed numerical processes and techniques are introduced. The ice crack propagation process including radial and circular cracks have been observed. Numerical results are compared with previous experimental data and good agreement has been achieved. The results show that water resistance is an order of magnitude smaller than ice resistance during the ice-breaking process. Ice resistance shows strong oscillation along with ice failure process, which are affected by ship speed and ice thickness significantly.

Strains of thermophilic bacilli were screened for cellulolytic activity by gel diffusion assay on selective medium at 55°C. Strain B-41361, identified as a strain of Bacillus licheniformis, displayed activity against carboxymethylcellulose. Zymogram analysis demonstrated several catalytically active polypeptides with the most prominent species having a mass of 37 kDa. The enzyme was purified 60-fold with a 17% yield and specific activity of 183 U/mg. The amino terminal sequence was homologous to members of glycoside hydrolase family 5. Optimal temperature was 65°C (measured over 30 min), but the enzyme was most stable at 60°C, retaining greater than 90% activity after one hour. The enzyme had a broad pH range, with maximal activity at pH 6.0, 75% maximal activity at pH 4.5, and 40% at pH 10. The enzyme hydrolyzed p-nitrophenylcellobioside, barley β-glucan, and lichenan, but no activity was detected against avicel or acid-swollen cellulose.

An effective method for extraction of intact genomic DNA from the extremely AT-rich polycentric anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2 has been developed. This procedure involves removal of glycogen-like storage polysaccharides using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and high salt washes. The DNA was digested with various restriction enzymes and was suitable for use as a PCR template, for Southern blotting, and for genomic library construction. Genomic DNA analysis of three representative genes (celE, bgl1, and xynA) encoding (hemi-) cellulolytic enzymes of the fungus revealed multiplicity of family 5 endocellulase genes (celE-like), and family 1 β-glucosidase genes (bgl1-like), but only a single copy of family 11 xylanase gene (xynA).

The purpose of this work was to fractionate the complex exopolysaccharide (EPS) from a medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis Cs-HK1 based on the molecular weight (MW) range and to assess the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of different EPS fractions in THP-1 cell culture. The lower MW fraction (EPS-LM-1) showed a much higher anti-inflammatory activity. EPS-LM-1 was identified as a heteropolysaccharide consisting of mannose, glucose, and galactose residues with an average MW of 360 kDa. EPS-LM-1 significantly inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses with the effective concentrations for 50% inhibition below 5 µg/mL on a few major proinflammatory markers. With such a notable in vitro anti-inflammatory activity, EPS-LM-1 is a promising candidate for the development of a new anti-inflammation therapy.

PurposeThe development of probiotics has seen tremendous growth over the years, with health benefits ranging from gut health to respiratory. We thus aimed to investigate the effects of probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 (2 × 1010 log CFU/day) against acute respiratory tract infections (RTI), use of antibiotics, hospitalization period and elucidate the possible mechanisms of action in hospitalized young children.MethodA prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study was performed in RTI-hospitalized children. Patients were randomized to either the probiotic (n = 60, mean age 13.81 ± 0.90 months) or placebo (n = 60, mean age 12.11 ± 0.73 months) which were administered upon admission, continued during hospitalization and 4-week post-discharged. RTI and gut health parameters were assessed at these time points using validated questionnaires while concentrations of inflammatory cytokines were assessed via oral swabs.ResultsProbio-M8 reduced the duration of nasal, pharyngeal and general flu-like symptoms compared to the placebo during the hospitalization period and 4-week post-discharged (P < 0.05) as compared to the placebo, with a more prevalent effect against lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). Probio-M8 reduced prescription of antibiotic (P = 0.037), prevented new prescription of antibiotic in non-prescribed patients (P = 0.024) and reduced hospitalization period in antibiotic-prescribed patients (P = 0.004) as compared to the placebo. Oral cytokine levels of TNF-α decreased in the Probio-M8 group (P = 0.001) accompanied by increased in IL-10 (P = 0.018) over 4-week post-discharged, while the placebo group did not exhibit such an effect. Increased IL-10 in the Probio-M8 group was correlated with decreased body ache (r = − 0.296, P = 0.001), headache (r = − 0.295, P = 0.001) and pain during swallow (r = − 0.235, P = 0.010).ConclusionData from our present study show that B. lactis Probio-M8 could be a potential natural and non-drug strategy for the management of RTI in young children in a safe manner.Clinical trial registrationClinical studies (Approval No. USM/JEPeM/19030177) were registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier No. NCT04122495) on September 30, 2019.

We previously reported on the effects of a lactobacilli probiotic (SynForU-HerCare; two capsules/day of 9.5 log CFU/capsule) in improving symptoms of vaginal irritation, discharge and burning in pregnant women with vaginal candidiasis upon administration for 8 weeks, accompanied by improved emotional and social quality of life parameters. Thus, the present study aimed to analyse vaginal microbiota and inflammatory changes in hope to better understand the improved clinical symptoms as observed previously. Patients in the probiotic group showed a decreased abundance of Candida glabrata after 8 weeks (p = 0.009) in the lower vaginal region, while patients in the placebo group did not show any changes over time. In the higher vaginal and cervicovaginal regions, patients in the placebo group showed a decreased abundance of Candida albicans only within 4 weeks (p < 0.05) but no changes in abundance of C. glabrata over time, while patients in the probiotic group showed a continuous decreased abundance of C. albicans and C. glabrata over 8 weeks (p < 0.05). Patients in the placebo group also had a decreased abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus over 4 weeks (p = 0.023) in the lower vaginal region and a decreased abundance of L. jensenii over 8 weeks in the cervicovaginal region (p = 0.001). Meanwhile, patients in the probiotic group had an increased abundance of L. crispatus in the lower vaginal region after 8 weeks (p = 0.012) and Lactobacillus jensenii over 4 weeks in the cervicovaginal region (p < 0.001). Inflammation may have occurred in both low and high vaginal regions, predominantly observed by the increased concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in patients from the placebo group (p < 0.05), while the administration of probiotics has shortened the period of inflammation as observed from the reduced need for anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 and IL-10 over time (p < 0.05). Taken together, our present new data further support previous findings that probiotic SynForU-HerCare had a beneficial effect against vaginal candidiasis in pregnant women via modulation of the vaginal microbiota and microenvironment.

Sebagai wilayah pendidikan utama, Zhengzhou, Henan di China setiap tahun mempunyai hampir satu juta pelajar mengambil peperiksaan kemasukan kolej, maka ibu bapa memberi perhatian yang besar terhadap pendidikan anak-anak mereka dari prasekolah. Buku audio dipilih sebagai medium pembelajaran yang utama kepada kanak-kanak mereka. Tetapi, kepuasan penggunaan buku audio kurang dikaji di tempat ini. Prestasi kanak-kanak menggunakan buku audio mempengaruhi tahap kepuasan ibu bapa terhadap buku audio secara langsung dan seterusnya menguasai perkembangan pasaran dan jangkaan ekonomi buku audio. Justeru, tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mendapatkan pemahaman yang jelas tentang situasi penggunaan buku audio dan kepuasan ibu bapa terhadap penggunaan buku audio oleh kanak-kanak mereka serta mempertingkatkan perkembangan kanak-kanak prasekolah secara keseluruhannya dengan lebih baik. Kajian ini dijalankan dengan kaedah kuantitatif dan soal selidik telah diedarkan kepada seramai 414 orang responden dalam kalangan ibu bapa. Analisis Regresi Berganda telah dijalankan untuk menguji hubungan antara ciri-ciri buku audio dan kepuasan. Hasil kajian telah menunjukkan bahawa majoriti ibu bapa berpuas hati dan mempercayai buku audio dapat meningkatkan kognisi dan pengetahuan kanak-kanak.

Dear Editor, N6-methyladenosine （m6A）, as the most abundant internal modification with ubiquitous feature in eukaryotic mRNAs, has been connected with many fundamental aspects of RNA metabolism such as translation [1-3], splicing [4, 5], stability and decay [6]. m6A modification is reversible and can be regulated by three groups of molecules commonly referred to as writers, erasers and readers, m6A writers are the components of the multi-complex methyltransferase catalyzing the formation of m6A methylation, among which METTL3,

Aim： To investigate the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of gemcitabine combined with gum mastic and the underlying mechanisms in human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Methods： Cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay and propidium iodine staining, respectively. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, NF-KB p65 subunit, and IKBC（ protein was measured using Western blotting. Results： Gemcitabine 0.01-100 pg/mL inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in both pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 and COLO 357 cells. Gum mastic 40 pg/mL significantly potentiated the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of gemcitabine 10 μg/mL after 72-h treatment. When cells were treated with gemcitabine in combination with gum mastic, the IKBα level was increased, whereas NF-κB activation was blocked; the expression of Bax protein was substantially increased, but Bcl-2 protein was down-regulated. Conclusion： Gemcitabine combined with gum mastic causes potent apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. The combination may be an effective therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.