The current study demonstrated that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was dramatically high in hypertensive women, even in the rural areas of China. Further, our study indicated that remarkable ethnic differences exist in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Obese and moderate levels of physical activity were a modifiable risk factor.

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The application of epoxidized rapeseed oil as a biodegradable lubricant is described. The epoxidation treatment has no adverse effect on the biodegradability of the base stock. Epoxidized rapeseed oil has superior oxidative stability compared to rapeseed oil based on the results of both oven tests and rotary oxygen bomb tests. Moreover, the oxidative stability can be dramatically promoted by the addition of a package of antioxidants. The epoxidized rapeseed oil has better friction-reducing and extreme pressure abilities according to tribological investigations. Formation of a tribopolymerization film is proposed as explanation of the tribological performance of epoxidized rapeseed oil.

SUMMARY Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified antimicrobial peptides. The recently discovered lantibiotic epilancin 15X produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis 15X154 contains an unusual N-terminal lactate group. To understand its biosynthesis, the epilancin 15X biosynthetic gene cluster was identified. The N-terminal lactate is produced by dehydration of a Ser residue in the first position of the core peptide by ElxB, followed by proteolytic removal of the leader peptide by ElxP, and hydrolysis of the resulting new N-terminal dehydroalanine. The pyruvate group thus formed is reduced to lactate by an NADPH dependent oxidoreductase designated ElxO. The enzymatic activity of ElxB, ElxP, and ElxO were investigated in vitro or in vivo and the importance of the N-terminal modification for peptide stability against bacterial aminopeptidases was assessed.