Remarkable impact of steam temperature on ginsenosides transformation from fresh ginseng to red ginseng

Xu, Xin-Fang,Gao, Yan,Xu, Shu-Ya,Liu, Huan,Xue, Xue,Zhang, Ying,Zhang, Hui,Liu, Meng-Nan,Xiong, Hui,Lin, Rui-Chao,Li, Xiang-Ri The Korean Society of Ginseng 2018 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.42 No.3

Background: Temperature is an essential condition in red ginseng processing. The pharmacological activities of red ginseng under different steam temperatures are significantly different. Methods: In this study, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry was developed to distinguish the red ginseng products that were steamed at high and low temperatures. Multivariate statistical analyses such as principal component analysis and supervised orthogonal partial least squared discrimination analysis were used to determine the influential components of the different samples. Results: The results showed that different steamed red ginseng samples can be identified, and the characteristic components were 20-gluco-ginsenoside Rf, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rg1, and malonyl-ginsenoside Rb1 in red ginseng steamed at low temperature. Meanwhile, the characteristic components in red ginseng steamed at high temperature were 20R-ginsenoside Rs3 and ginsenoside Rs4. Polar ginsenosides were abundant in red ginseng steamed at low temperature, whereas higher levels of less polar ginsenosides were detected in red ginseng steamed at high temperature. Conclusion: This study makes the first time that differences between red ginseng steamed under different temperatures and their ginsenosides transformation have been observed systematically at the chemistry level. The results suggested that the identified chemical markers can be used to illustrate the transformation of ginsenosides in red ginseng processing.

Curcumin Alleviates the Side Effects of Cisplatin on Gastric Emptying of Mice by Inhibiting the Signal Changes of Acetylcholine and Interstitial Cells of Cajal

Hui Li,Wenhua Xu,Xuying Liu,Junli Ye,Peijie Li,Fangfang Shang,Xiaoling Yu 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.9

Cisplatin is a widely used anticancer drug that has adverse effects on gastrointestinal function. Curcumin is a natural polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of turmeric that has a wide range of biological activities. The present study investigated the effects of cisplatin on gastric emptying in mice and examined whether these can be inhibited by curcumin. We found that pretreatment with curcumin (200 mg/kg/day) for 10–30 days partly inhibited the decreases in gastric emptying rate and body weight induced by cisplatin. Furthermore, cisplatin reduced acetylcholine (ACh) concentration and the messenger RNA (mRNA) level of ACh receptor (AChR) as well as acetylcholinesterase activity in the stomach of mice; caused ultrastructural damage to interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC); and altered the expression of c-kit/stem cell factor and the gap junction protein connexin 43 in ICC. Curcumin pretreatment inhibited the effects of cisplatin on ACh indicators and ICC. These results demonstrate that curcumin can protect against cisplatin-induced gastric emptying disorder and thus has therapeutic potential for alleviating this condition in cancer patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy.

Dietary maifanite supplementation did not affect the apparent total tract digestibility of calcium and phosphorus in growing pigs

Li Li Bai,Dong Xu Ming,Shu Ren Dong,Zhong Yue Yang,Wen Hui Wang,Shuai Zhang,Xiang Shu Piao,Ling Liu,Fenglai Wang 아세아·태평양축산학회 2018 Animal Bioscience Vol.31 No.2

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary maifanite supplementation and fecal collection method on the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) and blood parameters in growing pigs. Methods: Thirty-six growing barrows (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire; 27.0±2.6 kg) were allotted to six dietary treatments with 6 pigs per treatment according to body weight in a completely randomized design. The experimental treatments were: i) Low Ca+cornstarch (2.25%), ii) Low Ca+maifanite (2.25%), iii) Medium Ca+cornstarch (1.42%), iv) Medium Ca+maifanite (1.42%), v) High Ca+cornstarch (0.64%), and vi) High Ca+maifanite (0.64%). Feces were collected by the total collection (TC) and indicator method (IM). At the beginning and the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from each pig. Results: For the TC method, there were no difference in Ca intake, fecal Ca output, Ca retention and the ATTD of Ca between cornstarch and maifanite diets at the same dietary Ca level. However, urinary Ca excretion was lower (p = 0.01) in pigs fed low Ca diets without maifanite supplementation compared with other dietary treatments. Dietary maifanite supplementation had no effect on the P metabolism in growing pigs. For the IM method, there was no difference in Ca digestibility between cornstarch and maifanite diets at the same dietary Ca level. The ATTD of P was greater (p<0.01) in pigs fed the high Ca diet with maifanite supplementation compared with the high Ca diet with cornstarch treatment. Dietary inclusion of maifanite had no effect on blood parameters in growing pigs. Conclusion: Dietary maifanite supplementation had no effect on the ATTD of Ca and P and serum parameters in growing pigs. The IM resulted in lower digestibility values than the TC method.

Synthesis of Phosphorous Phenanthrene/L-Tryptophan Flame Retardant for Enhanced Flame Retardancy of Epoxy Resins

Li Li,Fenglin Hua,Hui Xi,Jing Yang,Ting Xiao,Rui Zuo,Xueqing Xu,Zhiwang Yang,Ziqiang Lei 한국고분자학회 2022 Macromolecular Research Vol.30 No.12

A new type of phosphorus-containing intrinsic flame retardant was prepared with L-tryptophan (L-Trp) and 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphorbenzophenanthrene- 10-oxide (DOPO) as the main components. The Schiff base from the reaction of 1,4-terephthalaldehyde and L-tryptophan provides active sites, and then the phosphorous compound, DOPO, is successfully introduced into the Schiff base to synthesize L-Trp-DOPO flame retardant. The intrinsic flame retardant property of LTrp- DOPO comes from the reaction of carbonyl groups and the epoxy groups in epoxy resin (EP) matrix. The prepared L-Trp-DOPO flame retardant can efficiently improve the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of the base material of EP. Cone calorimetric test (CCT) of EP/L-Trp-DOPO composite material was carried out. The data showed that the peak heat release rate (pk-HRR) value was reduced by 50.8% (from 1459 kW/m2 to 717 kW/m2), the THR value reduced by 78.3%, and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value was increased by 24%. The addition of new flame retardant greatly reduced the release of toxic CO gas. The flame retardant mechanism was explored, and it can be found that after thermal decomposition of L-Trp- DOPO a dense carbon layer can be produced to isolate the fire source. In addition, during the combustion process, L-Trp-DOPO will produce phosphorus-containing free radicals which will quench the active free radicals in the gas phase and dilute the combustible gas. The prepared L-Trp-DOPO flame retardant has a flame retardant effect in both the condensed phase and the gas phase during the combustion process.

Microstructure and viscoelastic behavior of waterborne polyurethane/cellulose nanofiber nanocomposite

Hui Zhao,Kui-Can Li,Wei Wu,Qing Li,Yan Jiang,Bing-Xu Cheng,Chong-Xing Huang,Hua-Nan Li 한국공업화학회 2022 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.110 No.-

Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) has been widely used to reinforce the mechanical properties of waterbornepolyurethane (WPU). There are, however, few works that focus on structure, rheological behavior, andcreep resistance of WPU/CNF composites. To fill this research gap, in this work, the m-CNF was obtainedby c-aminopropyltriethoxysilane modification to improve the interfacial strength of CNF and WPU, andthen it was introduced into the polyurethane matrix. Structure characterization of WPU/m-CNFnanocomposites is performed using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction(XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The obtainedresults show that with the increase of m-CNF, the hydrogen bonding index (HBI) increased, which meanta significant improvement in the mechanical properties. The tensile strength improved by 480%. Moreover, with the increase of m-CNF content, the viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus of thedispersions increased and showed more obvious shear-thinning behavior. In addition, m-CNF improvedthe thermal stability and creep resistance of WPU. The creep strain of WPU decreased from 3% to 0.2%. This work offers a simply feasible way to prepare environmental friendly green nanocomposites.

Improvement of Welan Gum Production and Redistribution of Metabolic Flux under pH Control Process in Alcaligenes sp. CGMCC2428

Hui Li,Sha Li,Hong Xu,Xiao-Ye Chen,Ping-Kai Ouyang 한국생물공학회 2013 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.18 No.2

Batch fermentations of welan gum from Alcaligenes sp. CGMCC2428 at pH values of 5.5 ~ 7.0were studied. Based on the kinetic analysis, a pH control process for improving welan production was developed. By maintaining the culture pH at 7.0, the process significantly improved the maximal welan concentration and productivity to reach 25.1 ± 0.65 g/L and 0.42 ± 0.003 g/L/h, respectively,compared with those in native pH processes where pH value would decrease from 7.0 to 5.1 (18.5 ± 0.72 g/L and 0.28 ± 0.002 g/L/h). This improvement may be due to the increased metabolic flux of glucose-1-phosphate to welan induced by pH control process. Furthermore, scale-up fermentation under controlled pH was implemented using 300-L fermentor. The highest welan concentration of 27.5± 0.97 g/L was obtained. This simplified process proved effective in industry fermentation for high welan production.

Cooperation between Human DAF and CD59 in Protecting Cells from Human Complement-mediated Lysis

( Li Xu ),( Wen Lan Wu ),( Zhou Zhou Zhao ),( Huan Jie Shao ),( Wan Hong Liu ),( Hui Liu ),( Wen Xin Li ) 생화학분자생물학회 2006 BMB Reports Vol.39 No.6

Cooperation between Human DAF and CD59 in Protecting Cells from Human Complement-mediated Lysis

Xu, Li,Wu, Wenlan,Zhao, Zhouzhou,Shao, Huanjie,Liu, Wanhong,Liu, Hui,Li, Wenxin Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2006 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.39 No.6

The complement (C) regulatory proteins decay accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) and CD59 could protect host cells using different mechanisms from C-mediated damage at two distinct levels within the C pathway. Co-expression of DAF and CD59 would be an effective strategy to help overcome host C-induced xenograft hyperacute rejection. In this study, we made a construct of recombinant expression vector containing DAF and CD59 cDNA and the stable cell lines were obtained by G418 selection. Extraneous genes integration and co-expression were identified by PCR, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Human c-mediated cytolysis assays showed that NIH/3T3 cells transfected stably with pcDNA3-CD59, pcDNA3-DAF, and pcDNA3-CD59DAF-DP were protected from C-mediated damage and that synchronously expressed human CD59 and DAF provided the most excellent protection for host cells as compared with either human CD59 or DAF expressed alone. Therefore, the construct represents an effective and efficacy strategy to overcome C-mediated damage in cells and, ultimately, in animals.

Strain Improvement and Metabolic Flux Modeling of Wild-type and Mutant Alcaligenes sp. NX-3 for Synthesis of Exopolysaccharide Welan Gum

Hui Li,Hong Xu,Sha Li,Hao Xu,Chaojiang Guo,Pingkai Ouyang,Hanjie Ying 한국생물공학회 2010 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.15 No.5

Low-energy nitrogen ion beam implantation technique was used for the strain improvement of Alcaligenes sp. NX-3 for the production of exopolysaccharide welan gum. A high welan gum producing mutant, Alcaligenes sp. NX-3-1, was obtained through 20 keV N+ ion beam irradiation. Starting at a concentration of 50 g/L of glucose, mutant NX-3-1 produced 25.0 g/L of welan gum after 66 h of cultivation in a 7.5 L bioreactor, which was 34.4% higher than that produced by the wild-type strain. The results of metabolic flux analysis showed that the glucose-6-phosphate and acetyl coenzyme A nodes were the principle and flexible nodes, respectively. At the glucose-6-phosphate node, the fraction of carbon measured from glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate was enhanced after mutagenesis, which indicated that more flux was used to synthesize welan gum in the mutant. By analyzing the activities of related enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of sugar nucleotides essential for welan gum production, we found that the specific activities of phosphoglucomutase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase,UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, and dTDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in the mutant strain were higher than those in the wild-type strain. These improvements in enzyme activities could be due to the affected of ion beam implantation.

Cr-Doped TiO2 Core–Shell Nanospheres with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity and Lithium Storage Capacity

Hui Xu,Min Zeng,Jing Li,Fuyun Li 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2016 NANO Vol.11 No.1

Cr-doped TiO2 core-shell nanospheres have been prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal process. The as-prepared Cr–TiO2 nanospheres exhibit not only a high visible light activity, but also an excellent lithium storage capacity. Various characterization methods indicate that Cr3+ ions are uniformly distributed into the TiO2 lattice and a doping level emerges in the bandgap of TiO2, which leads to a prominent photocatalytic activity. When the Cr–TiO2 nanospheres are employed as lithium battery electrodes, the high lithium storage capacity of Cr2O3 and the p-type conductivity of TiO2 due to doping may be beneficial to improve the electrochemical performances of these electrodes.