A comparative study of batch and repeated batch process was carried out for astaxanthin fermentation of Phaffia rhodozyma to develop a more economical method for astaxanthin industrial production. In shaking flask fermentation, the change of biomass and astaxanthin production was studied to compare the five-day cycle with four-day cycle of repeated batch culture of P. rhodozyma. Astaxanthin production increased at first and then decreased subsequently in seven cycles, yet the yield of astaxanthin in the next six cycles remains higher than that of the first cycle. Comparing the average production of astaxanthin in the seven cycles, four-day cycle performed even better than five-day cycle. Subsequently, a repeated fed-batch process was used in a 5-1 bioreactor. The experimental data showed that biomass and astaxanthin production of the second batch could reach the level of the first batch, no matter that the carbon source was glucose or hydrolysis sugar of starch. This result showed that this strain had good stability, and thus repeated batch and fed-batch process could be applied in astaxanthin fermentation for economical purpose.
Basidiomycota ; genetics ; metabolism ; Batch Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Fermentation ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Xanthophylls ; biosynthesis

The daily life information needs of elderly people in different areas of China were analyzed , which showed that the elderly people are most concerned about TV news information, health information, recreation infor-mation, welfare information , and popular science knowledge .

Objective To explore the effects of military stress on memory function in battlefield environment confined intensive training of peace-keeping soldiers.Methods 41 peace-keeping soldiers were chosen as the research objects.They were tested the memory function,respectively after they trained intensely in the domestic and in Sudan for five months.The memory function included verbal memory:WHO-UCLA auditory verbal learning test (immediate recall,the insert test,the short time delay memories,long delayed recall,long delayed recognition,visual memory) using the Rey Ostereitb Complex Figure (graphics copy and graphic delayed recall).Results The peace-keeping soldiers got lower scores in the insert tested(4.59±2.03) and graphics copy(35.85± 0.36) than in the domestic (4.85 ± 2.21,35.71 ± 0.46,P＞ 0.05),but there was no significant difference.They got lower scores in the immediate recall (41.68±9.87),the short time delay memories (9.27±2.77),long delayed recall (9.12±2.99),long delayed recognition (27.56± 1.70),and graphic delayed recall (16.90± 6.16) than those in the domestic(51.68±8.63,11.73±2.15,12.24± 1.96,29.00± 1.43,23.15±7.16,P＜0.01),and the difference was statistically significant.Conclusion The peace-keeping soldiers battlefield environment stress has a certain effect on the soldiers' memory function.

Phaffia rhodozyma is one of the organisms for production of astaxanthin, and the key process for extracting intracellular astaxanthin is cell disruption. In this work, cell disruption for extracting astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma was studied with autoclave method at low acid concentration. The optimum disrupting conditions were: autoclave pressure 0.1 MPa, 121 degrees C; hydrochloric acid concentration 0.5 mol/L; liquid to material ratio (V/W) 30 mL/g dry cell weight and disruption time 2 min. Under the optimum conditions, medium scale experiment showed that astaxanthin and total carotenoids recovery from Phaffia rhodozyma were (84.8 +/- 3.2)% and (93.3 +/- 2)%, respectively. This new method can lead to no poisonous residues and get high extraction yield, which have good prospects to be put into industrial production.
Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; Carotenoids ; isolation & purification ; Cell Wall ; metabolism ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrochloric Acid ; Xanthophylls ; isolation & purification

We evaluated an astaxanthin overproducing Phaffia rhodozyma JMU-MVP14, and developed astaxanthin high-yielding fermentation process. We analyzed several fermentation parameters, i.e., biomass, astaxanthin and total carotenoids content to compare the characteristics of P rhodozyma JMU-MVP14 and the original strain through flask fermentation experiments. We conducted batch and fed-batch fermentation experiments in 7 L fermentor to investigate the effects of pH controlling models and feeding medium compositions on the production of astaxanthin. We further evaluated the capability and practical value of P rhodozyma JMU-MVP14 by fed-batch cultivation in the 1 m3 fermentor. Flask fermentation experiments revealed that P. rhodozyma JMU-MVP14 produced high yield of astaxanthin and carotenoids with specific productivity of astaxanthin and specific productivity of total carotenoids of 6.01 mg/g and 10.38 mg/g. Results of batch culture experiments in the 7 L fermentor showed that controlling the pH by ammonia auto-feeding was better than discontinuously adjusting pH value at 6.0 with regard to the high productivities of biomasses and astaxanthin. This P. rhodozyma strain synthesized astaxanthin partially linked to the growth with the Ks and pmax of 0.20 h ' and 21.73 g/L, respectively. Results of batch-fed fermentations in 7 L fermentor indicated that the complex feeding medium consisted of 50% glucose, 0.5% yeast extract and 0.3% corn steep syrup had lower astaxanthin productivity than the simple feeding medium containing only 50% glucose, which produced biomass, volumetric productivity of astaxanthin, volumetric productivity of total carotenoids, specific productivity of astaxanthin and total carotenoids at 32.81 g/L, 155.99 mg/L, 4.94 mg/g, 399.99 mg/L and 12.19 mg/g, respectively. As fed-batch cultured in 1 m3 fermentor, P rhodozyma JMU-MVP14 yielded 85.11 g/L of biomass, 279.96 mg/L of volumetric productivity of astaxanthin, 618.01 mg/L of volumetric productivity of total carotenoids, 3.29 mg/g of specific productivity of astaxanthin and 7.26 mg/g of specific productivity of total carotenoids. Additionally, P rhodozyma JMU-MVP14 cell contained 21.54% of protein, 41.34% of carbohydrate and 34.31% of lipid. These comprehensive results suggest that P. rhodozyma JMU-MVPl14 has great practical prosperity related to its strong ability to produce astaxanthin and good value byproducts.
Basidiomycota ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Batch Cell Culture Techniques ; Carotenoids ; biosynthesis ; Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Industrial Microbiology ; Kinetics ; Xanthophylls ; biosynthesis

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of 3D models of patients with complex congenital heart disease(CHD) printed by domestic 3D priuters based on cardiac CT data.Methods From April 2018 to June 2018,our hospital used domestic 3D printers to print the hearts of 50 patients with complex CHD.The median age of the patients was 24 months(1 month to 61 years),and the diseases included pulmonary atresia,right ventricular double outlet and transposition of aorta.3 measurement sites(150 in total) were selected for each patient.Pearson correlation coefficient calculation,paired t test and Bland-Altman analysis were performed.Results Pearson correlation coefficient is 0.997.The difference of the measured value of CT-model was tested for normality.P was 0.2 of the D test.The Q-Q graph showed that the data point and the theoretical line were highly overlapped.The mean difference was (-0.07 ± 0.67) mm,P =0.196.In Bland-Altman analysis,the consistency boundary value interval of the difference was(-1.29 mm,1.16 mm) between which there were 143/150(95.33％) points.Conclusion 3D models of patients with complex CHD printed by domestic 3D printers based on cardiac CT data have good accuracy.

Objective To investigate if the ratio of pulmonary valve annulus, which is the proportion of pulmonary valvular annulus size to total size of aortic valvular annulus and pulmonary valvular annulus, can better guide the choice of surgical approach than the value of z. Methods A retrospective analysis was made for 254 patients who underwent total correction of tetralogy of Fallot in Guangdong General Hospital between January 2016 and January 2018. There were 154 males and 100 females with an average age of 14.60±18.76 years. The patients were categorized into two groups, a transannular patch group (TAP, n=164) and a non-TAP group (n=90). The sizes of pulmonary and aortic valvular annulus were evaluated in each group, and the cutoff value of proportion of pulmonary valvular annulus for TAP was calculated. Results Both proportion of pulmonary valvular annulus and z-scores were smaller in the TAP group than those in the non-TAP group (0.29±0.06 vs. 0.36±0.06, P<0.001; –4.04±2.13 vs. –2.06±1.84, P<0.001, respectively). In receiver operating characteristics analyses, proportion of pulmonary valvular annulus and the z-score cutoff values were 0.353 (area under the curve 0.781, 95%CI 0.725–0.831) and –2.13 (area under the curve 0.766, 95%CI 0.709–0.817), respectively, demonstrating that the proportion of pulmonary valvular annulus was a more powerful diagnostic tool as a predictor of TAP. Conclusion Our results suggest that the proportion of pulmonary valvular annulus is an effective predictor for TAP and can be easily applied to clinical practice.

Objective     To analyze the use of modified pericardial oblique sinus approach in surgical repair for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in neonates. Methods     Between May 2005 and December 2015, 67 consecutive neonates with supracardiac or infracardiac type total anomalous pulmonary venous connection who underwent surgical repair in our institute were included in this study. The patients are divided into three groups according to the different approaches including a sulcus approach group (6 patients), a superior approach group (14 patients), and a modified pericardial oblique sinus approach group (47 patients). There were 53 males and 14 females at median age of 12.5 (7.0, 20.5) d.  Results     The time of cardiopulmonary bypass [88 (80.0, 107.0) min vs. 135 (121.0, 157.0) min, P<0.05] and aortic cross clamping of the modified pericardial oblique sinus approach group was significantly shorter than that of the sulcus approach group [45 (39.0, 53.0) min vs. 80 (73.0, 85.0) min, P<0.05]. Perioperative mortality (2.1% vs. 28.6%, P<0.05) was significantly lower in the modified pericardial oblique sinus approach group than that in the superior approach group. The long-term mortality (4.3% vs. 60.0%, P<0.05) was significantly lower in the modified pericardial oblique sinus approach group than that in the sulcus approach group or the superior approach group . The rate of pulmonary venous stenosis was significantly lower in the modified pericardial oblique sinus approach group than that in the sulcus approach group (2.1% vs. 50.0%, P<0.05) or superior approach group (2.1% vs. 35.7%, P<0.05).  Conclusions     In surgical correction of neonatal supracardiac and infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous, compared with the traditional surgical approach, the modified pericardial oblique sinus pathway can provide excellent surgical space and has a good surgical prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the application value of virtual reality (VR) technology in the surgical treatment of coronary artery fistula (CAF) and abnormal origin of coronary artery (AOOCA). Methods From January 2014 to June 2018, with the assistance of virtual reality technology, 4 patients with CAF and 4 patients with AOOCA in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of our hospital underwent treatment method deciding and operation details planning. In the CAF patients, there was 1 male and 3 females and they were 8 years, 16 years, 62 years, and 65 years, respectively. In the AOOCA patients, there was 1 male and 3 females at age of 4-month, 2 years, 14 years, and 29 years, respectively. Results The virtual heart models in all 8 patients were well matched with the real heart. The spatial structure information of CAF/AOOCA and surroundings can be intuitively and fully shown by virtual reality technology in all patients. All of the 4 CAF patients repaired coronary artery incision, including 2 patients with autologous pericardium patch and 2 patients with direct suture. Of the 4 AOOCA patients, 3 underwent coronary directly transplantation but 1 underwent Takeuchi surgery. And 2 had mitral valve plasty at the same time. All the operations were completed successfully, with good recovery and no serious complications. Among the 4 CAF patients, 3 had no residual fistula, and 1 had minor residual fistula. Coronary arteries were all unobstructed in 4 patients of AOOCA; moderate and severe mitral regurgitation in 2 patients were significantly reduced after surgery. Conclusion VR allows doctors to understand the spatial structure information of CAF/AOOCA and surroundings before the operation, and assists them to make accurate treatment decisions and develop detailed surgical plans before the operation, ensuring its safety. Its clinical application value is significant.