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BACKGROUND: Polysaccharides are the most widely used additives to enhance the quality of surimi gels. Oat β‐glucan (OG), a functional polysaccharide, is known to affect the gelation characteristics of surimi. However, it has been rarely reported. Therefore, the effect of OG at different levels on gelling properties, protein conformation, and microstructures of silver carp surimi gels were investigated. RESULTS: An increase in the OG content from 0 to 1.0% significantly improved the hardness, springiness, chewiness, puncture properties, storage modulus, and loss modulus of surimi gels. Moreover, the incorporation of OG (0–1.0%) facilitated the unfolding of proteins, resulting in the conformational transformation from α‐helix to β‐sheet and β‐turn. Consequently, surimi–OG gels displayed a denser network structure with smaller and more uniform voids. Furthermore, partial free water in the gel network was converted into immobile water, increasing the water‐holding capacity. However, a further increase in the OG concentration (1.0–2.0%) resulted in a looser and more uneven network structure with large and numerous cavities. In addition, the whiteness of composite gels decreased with increasing content of OG. CONCLUSION: The addition of 1.0% OG dramatically improved the gelation performance of silver carp surimi, providing a theoretical foundation for the exploitation and manufacture of functional surimi products. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrobium officinale, a minor crop with medicinal and edible value, is increasingly consumed by people, but the pesticide residues on it have received little attention. In this work, field trials were conducted under good agricultural practice conditions to investigate the residues of chlorothalonil, SDS‐3701, metalaxyl, and dimethomorph in D. officinale; then the evolution of these pesticides after household processing was studied. The results indicated that chlorothalonil, SDS‐3701, metalaxyl, and dimethomorph were 2.41–30.12, 0.20–1.23, 0.07–0.80, and 0.19–7.90 mg kg−1, respectively, in stems at recommended preharvest interval (30 days). Washing and soaking removed the pesticides in fresh stems with processing factors 0.41–1.14 and 0.12–1.13, respectively. In the brewing test, the transfer rates of pesticides in dry stems decreased from the first time (4.27–95.40%) to the third time (3.89–15.57%). Intake risk assessments were also conducted, and the risk quotients were no more than 27.02% for all compounds in different samples, which indicated acceptable risks for consumers. As effective risk‐reducing home‐processing methods, washing, soaking, and multiple brewing were suggested in this work, hoping to help consumers with diet safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effects of yeast β‐glucan (YG) on the aggregation and flavour adsorption capacity of Spanish mackerel myosin under two‐step heat treatments were investigated. The surface hydrophobicity and active sulfhydryl content of heat‐induced myosin was increased by the addition of YG, reaching the maximum values of 81.46 and 17.49 mol per 105 g after heating at 90 °C for 10 min. YG incorporation significantly decreased the α‐helix content of myosin to the minimum value of 48.27%, whereas the β‐sheet was increased. The addition of YG promoted the unfolding of myosin, exposing more hydrophobic bonding sites, thus enhancing the flavour‐binding capacity of myosin. Lengthy heating at 90 °C combined with YG addition accelerated the cross‐linking and aggregation of myosin, leading to the re‐embedding of the exposed hydrophobic groups as much as the reduction of flavour‐binding sites. However, YG's unique porous structure could also boost the flavour adsorption ability of myosin containing YG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study sought to characterize the rotation of the transcatheter heart valve (THV) and evaluate the neo‐commissures overlap with coronary arteries in type‐0 bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Methods and Results: This was a single‐center, 10‐patient, retrospective observational cohort. Pre‐TAVI computed tomography and procedural fluoroscopy were analyzed. Coplanar fluoroscopic views were coregistered to pre‐TAVI computed tomography to characterize THV rotation and determine coronary overlap. The incidence of severe coronary artery overlap with one coronary artery was 90%. According to our prediction line, type‐0 BAV has predicted a higher incidence of overlap with one coronary artery, but lower incidence with both coronary arteries compared to the tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). The rotational angles in two different phases were 3.8 ± 3.2° versus 11.8 ± 8.0° (p =.01) in patients with mixed cusp fusion. Commissural angles in final and initial deployment were 9.6 ± 6.6 versus 18.1 ± 11.0° (p =.021). Applying hypothetic "commissure‐middle view" in 0°, ±5°, and ±10°, the incidence of overlap with one coronary artery are 20%, 40%, and 90% separately. Conclusions: The THV rotation existed and was activated in the last 1/3 deploying phase. With the observed tendency of "automatic commissural alignment," applying the "commissure‐middle" view in type‐0 BAV may optimize valve alignment and avoid coronary artery overlap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Via the bottom‐up synthetic strategy, we synthesized a pair of dodecanuclear metal clusters of Eu12(C2O4)9(R/S‐BNP)18(EtOH)6(H2O)6·8EtOH·7H2O (complex 2), which represent the largest axial chiral lanthanide metal clusters. In the structure, rare four‐pointed star coordination mode of oxalic acid is reported by this work. In addition, as a fluorescence sensor, the complex 2 exhibits high enantioselectivity for R‐/S‐BINOL‐TF2 (EF = 2.87) and other chiral binaphthyl derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin are two representative pesticides of strobilurins used to treat cucumber downy mildew, which have raised issues of food safety and human health. A new formulation containing these two compounds is being prepared for marketing in China. RESULTS: The dissipation and residual levels of pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin in cucumbers under field conditions were determined simultaneously by a validated method via liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The dissipation rules were described by first‐order kinetics and the half‐lives of pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin were less than 8.2 days and 3.4 days. The highest terminal residue of pyraclostrobin was 0.014 mg kg−1 which was lower than maximum residue limit (MRL) in China (0.5 mg kg−1) and of picoxystrobin was 0.029 mg kg−1, respectively. In the long‐term intake risk assessment of pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin for general population (18–79 years), the chronic risk quotient (RQc) varied from 5.64% to 21.97%. The assessment of short‐term risks included children (1–6 years) and adults (18–79 years) and in which the RQa values were 0.38% and 2.85%. Both results showed the intake risks of cucumber were acceptable. CONCLUSION: Pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin degraded easily in cucumbers under open field conditions. The long‐term and short‐term risks caused by final residues of pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin were insignificant. The recommended pre‐harvest interval of 3 days was safe. The article will be helpful in rational use of these pesticides and MRL formulation of picoxystrobin on cucumber. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Interactions between flavor compounds and proteins during food processing are critical to flavor perception of the final product. Here, we investigated the effect of the duration of heat treatment on the interaction between bighead carp myosin and selected flavor compounds including hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, (E)‐2‐heptenal, and 1‐octen‐3‐ol. RESULTS: The binding of flavor compounds to native myosin was strong and decreased in the order nonanal > octanal > (E)‐2‐heptenal > heptanal > hexanal >1‐octen‐3‐ol. The aldehydes, especially trans‐2‐undecenal, were more conducive to hydrophobic binding to myosin than alcohols. Within the initial 5 min of heating, the surface hydrophobicity and total sulfhydryl exposure increased, while α‐helix turned into β‐sheets, β‐turns, and random coils. However, upon further heating, the hydrophobicity and sulfhydryl contents declined, β‐sheets, β‐turns and random coils shifted to α‐helix. Throughout the heating process, the particle size increased, and the absolute zeta potential decreased continuously, indicating that thermal aggregation of myosin occurred simultaneously. Changes in binding capacities of flavor compounds to myosin were consistent with changes in hydrophobicity and sulfhydryl contents. CONCLUSION: The initial enhancement of the flavor‐binding capacity of myosin was attributed to the unfolding of secondary structures by exposing more hydrophobic bonding sites and hydrogen bonding sites. The rebuilding and aggregating of myosin was enhanced upon prolonged heating, thus favoring hydrophobic protein–protein interactions and weakening the resultant flavor binding capacity of myosin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the effect of two‐step heat treatments on the structure of grass carp myofibrillar proteins (MPs) and their binding ability for selected aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal, octanal and nonanal). RESULTS: Within 30 min of the first heating step at 40 °C and 5–10 min of the second heating step at 90 °C, the enhancement of the flavor‐binding ability was likely explained by the increases in surface hydrophobicity and total sulfhydryl content due to the unfolding of secondary structures of MPs through exposure of hydrophobic amino acids and sulfhydryl groups. Nevertheless, lengthy heating at 90 °C accelerated the aggregation of unfolded MPs and reduced the hydrophobic bonding sites, thus weakening the hydrophobic interactions and decreasing the resultant binding ability of MPs with aldehydes. CONCLUSION: The binding ability of aldehydes to MPs was found to be strongly influenced by changes in protein structure and surface during the two‐step heating process. The results provided insight into improving the flavor characteristics of freshwater fish surimi products. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A random phage 12-mer peptide library and a whole-cell subtractive biopanning protocol against HepG2 cells were used to select a novel peptide-specific binding to hepatocellular carcinoma cells. As a result, peptide SLSLITMLKISR (AM-2) was screened as a novel homing peptide to hepatocellular carcinoma cells, tested by immunofluorescence and immunochemistry assays. Subsequently, peptide AM-2 was linked to melittin by A(EAAAK)2A, and the antitumor effect of this ligation product was detected by MTT assay, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and scanning electron microscopy methods. Results of cell growth inhibition tests confirmed that the affinity of melittin was increased after being incorporated into AM-2, and AM-2-melittin specifically targeted and killed HepG2 cells in vitro. Thus, AM-2 is a valuable ligand for tumor targeting, which leads to increased binding and killing effect of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro when ligated to melittin, and AM-2-melittin has a clinical potential application as target agents for the treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to target cancer cells with high specificity and kill cancer cells with high efficiency remains an urgent demand for anticancer drugs. Temporin-La, which belongs to the family of temporins, presents antitumor activity against many cancer cell lines. We first used a whole bioinformatic analysis method as a platform to identify new anticancer antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). On the basis of these results, we designed a temporin-La analog (temporin-Las) and related constructs containing the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) tripeptide, the integrin αvβ3 homing domain (RGD-La and RGD-Las). We detected a link between the net charges and integrin αvβ3 expression of cancer cell lines and the antitumor activities of these peptides. Temporin-La and its synthetic analogs inhibited cancer cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Evidence was provided that the affinity between RGD-Las and tumor cell membranes was stronger than other tested peptides using a pull-down assay. Morphological changes on the cell membrane induced by temporin-La and RDG-Las, respectively, were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, time-dependent morphological changes were detected by confocal microscopy, where the binding process of RGD-Las to the cell membrane could be monitored. The results indicate that the electrostatic interaction between these cationic peptides and the anionic cell membrane is a major determinant of selective cell killing. Thus, the RGD tripeptide is a valuable ligand motif for tumor targeting, which leads to an increased anticancer efficiency by RGD-Las. These AMP-derived peptides have clinical potential as specifically targeting agents for the treatment of αvβ3 positive tumors. Copyright © 2012 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suppressor of cytokine signalling‐3 (SOCS3) is well known as a feedback inhibitor of the Janus kinases‐signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) signalling pathway, which mediates the signal transduction of many cytokines, growth factors and hormones during many cellular processes. The critical role of SOCS3 is manifested by its binding to both the JAK kinase and the cytokine receptor, which can result in the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation. STAT3 triggers variety of genes expression in response to cytokine (IL‐6 family, IL‐10) and growth factor stimulation and thus plays a critical role in many cellular biological processes involved in anti/pro‐inflammatory responses, cell growth and cell death. SOCS3 might act directly either by hampering JAK activation or by mediating the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome degradation of the cytokine/growth factor/hormone receptor. Generally, SOCS3 is a negative regulator for cytokine or hormone signalling. But in some cases, SOCS3 regulates the inflammatory responses positively through inhibiting STAT3. An increasing number of reports showed abnormal expression levels of SOCS3/STAT3 in different myeloid and lymphoid cells as well as in various non‐hematopoietic cells, which suggested its involvement in various infection and inflammatory diseases. In this review, we described the role of SOCS3 and STAT3 expression in different cell populations in regulating the outcomes of infection and inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 49-year-old female with aneurysm of the aortic isthmus who underwent surgery to replace the aortic valve with mechanical prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]