The dietary pattern can influence the immune system directly, but may also modulate it indirectly by regulating the gut microbiota. Here, we investigated the effect of a 3-months lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on the diversity of gut microbiota and the immune system in healthy omnivorous volunteers, using high-throughput sequencing technologies. The short-term vegetarian diet did not have any major effect on the diversity of the immune system and the overall composition of the metagenome. The prevalence of bacterial genera/species with known beneficial effects on the intestine, including butyrate-producers and probiotic species and the balance of autoimmune-related variable genes/families were, however, altered in the short-term vegetarians. A number of bacterial species that are associated with the expression level of IgA, a key immunoglobulin class that protects the gastrointestinal mucosal system, were also identified. Furthermore, a lower diversity of T-cell repertoire and expression level of IgE, as well as a reduced abundance of inflammation-related genes in the gut microbiota were potentially associated with a control group with long-term vegetarians. Thus, the composition and duration of the diet may have an impact on the balance of pro-/anti-inflammatory factors in the gut microbiota and immune system.

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Classical mixed micelle systems make excellent parenteral drug carriers for lipophilic or poorly soluble drugs, but many formulations details are not fully understood and need further study. Thus, we constructed mixed micelle systems with lecithin and either glycocholic acid sodium salt or deoxycholic acid sodium salt in order to investigate the differences between the bile salts. Vitamin K1, a lipid‐soluble drug, was encapsulated in the mixed micelles, and the influence of bile salts on the quality and stability of the mixed micelle systems was analyzed. Both bile salts displayed similar profiles, and the amounts of bile salts used in formulating clear solutions did not differ. Mixed micelle systems formed from glycocholic acid sodium were physically stable at low pH levels (5.5), whereas those formed from deoxycholic acid required higher pH (>8.5). High pH levels hurt active pharmaceutical ingredients that are prone to hydrolytic and oxidative degradation. Hence, when mixed micelle systems formed from deoxycholic acid sodium were sterilized, unexpected chemical unstability occurred. Therefore, we conclude that glycocholic acid sodium salt is more suitable than deoxycholic acid sodium salt for the preparation of mixed micelle injections.

Sweet cherry packaged in plastic clamshell containers within carton were retailed using four different methods, including 0℃ with humidification (relative humidity 90-95%) and 4℃ with humidification (relative humidity 90-95%) in closed refrigerated displays, opened refrigerated displays (18-21℃) and room temperature displays (27-29℃) for 2days after forced-air cooling from 27℃ to 3℃ and 3 days transportation at 0℃. The result showed that the sensory evaluation score of sweet cherry retailed 2 days with the four retailing methods were 8.2, 8, 7, 5.1, respectively. The sweet cherry retailed at 0℃ with humidification had lower weight loss, respiration rate and ethylene release rate and higher firmness and higher content of vitamin C, soluble solid and titratable acid compared with other treatments, and the date were 0.64%, 53.89 mgCO 2 •kg -1 •h -1 , 0.06 uLkg -1 •h -1 , 2.83kg•cm -1 , 151.34mg•100g -1 , 20.4%, 0.7%, respectively.

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Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been proved to promote the proliferation of myoblast C2C12. However, whether LIPUS can effectively prevent muscle atrophy has not been clarified, and if so, what is the possible mechanism. Myostatin (MSTN) is a negtive regulator of skeletal muscle, and inhibition of its expression has a positive effect on the growth and development of skeletal muscle.The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of LIPUS on muscle atrophyin hind limb unloading rats, and explored the mechanisms. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group (NC), hind limb unloading group (UL), hind limb unloading plus 30 mW/cm2 irradiation group (UL + 30 mW/cm2), hind limb suspension plus 80 mW/cm2 irradiation group (UL + 80 mW/cm2). The rats were suspended or/and treated with LIPUS for 20 min/d for 28 days. C2C12 cells were exposed to LIPUS at 30 or 80 mW/cm2 for 5 days. After 28 days, LIPUS significantly prevented the decrease of cross-sectional area of muscle fiber and promoted the quality of gastrocnemius muscle. In addition, LIPUS significantly inhibited the content of MSTN in the serum and gastrocnemius muscle of hind limb rats, and its receptor, and promoted myoblast C2C12 proliferation, promoted the stability of alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism pathway. These results suggest that the key mechanism of LIPUS in preventing muscle atrophy induced by hind limb unloading may be through inhibiting MSTN and stabilizing alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism.