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Xiaonan Guo,1,* Xiaoshuang Zhu,1,* Dakan Liu,1 Yubin Gong,1 Jing Sun,2 Changxian Dong1 1Department of Hemangioma and Vascular Malformation, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: To reduce the adverse effects and high frequency of administration of propranolol to treat infantile hemangioma, we first utilized propranolol-loaded liposomes-in-microsphere (PLIM) as a novel topical release system to realize sustained release of propranolol.Methods: PLIM was developed from encapsulating propranolol-loaded liposomes (PLs) in microspheres made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) copolymers (PLGA-PEG-PLGA). The release profile of propranolol from PLIM was evaluated, and its biological activity was investigated in vitro using proliferation assays on hemangioma stem cells (HemSCs). Tumor inhibition was studied in nude mice bearing human subcutaneous infantile hemangioma.Results: The microspheres were of desired particle size (~77.8 µm) and drug encapsulation efficiency (~23.9%) and achieved sustained drug release for 40 days. PLIM exerted efficient inhibition of the proliferation of HemSCs and significantly reduced the expression of two angiogenesis factors (vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A] and basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF]) in HemSCs. Notably, the therapeutic effect of PLIM in hemangioma was superior to that of propranolol and PL in vivo, as reflected by significantly reduced hemangioma volume, weight, and microvessel density. The mean hemangioma weight of the PLIM-treated group was significantly lower than that of other groups (saline =0.28 g, propranolol =0.21 g, PL =0.13 g, PLIM =0.03 g; PLIM vs saline: P

This study investigated the effects of pre-fermentation degree and storage temperature fluctuations on the gas cells, gluten protein, rheological properties of frozen dough, and quality of steamed bread. Three pre-fermentation degrees and four fluctuating temperatures (-10 °C, 0 °C, 10 °C, and 25 °C) were used. The gas cell size increased with the pre-fermentation degree; however, the gas cells merged and ruptured during temperature fluctuations. Sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction protein content and free sulfhydryl content increased by 3.07 % and 33.62 %, respectively, in the medium pre-fermentation group at 25 °C compared with those at -10 °C. The maximum strain of dough increased as pre-fermentation degree and fluctuating temperatures increased. The specific volumes of steamed bread with medium pre-fermentation degree were 1.87 mL/g at -10 °C and 1.47 mL/g at 25 °C. In conclusion, higher temperature fluctuations exceeding the freezing point exacerbated the dough and steamed bread quality, particularly in high pre-fermentation degree dough., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Fresh dough products lead to instability in product quality, high production costs, and more production time, which seriously affects the industrial production of the food industry. The frozen dough technology mitigates the problems of short shelf-life and easy deterioration of quality during storage and transportation. It has shown a series of advantages in large-scale industrialization, high-quality standardization, and chain operation. However, the further development of frozen dough is restricted by the deterioration of the main components (gluten, starch, and yeast) caused by freezing. This review summarizes the main production process of frozen steamed bread and buns, and the deterioration reasons for the main component of frozen dough. The improvement mechanisms of raw ingredients, processing technology, processing equipment, and additives on frozen dough quality were analyzed from the perspective of improving gluten network integrity and yeast freeze tolerance. From prefermented frozen raw to steamed products without thawing has become the preferred production process to improve production efficiency. Wheat flour mixed with other flour can maintain the gluten network continuity of frozen dough. The freeze tolerance of yeast was improved by treatment with yeast suspension, yeast cell encapsulation, screening hybridization, and genetic engineering. Process optimization and new technology-assisted fermentation and freezing effectively reduce freezing damage. Various additives improve the freeze resistance of the gluten-starch matrix by promoting protein cross-linking and inhibiting water migration. In addition, ice structural proteins and ice nucleating agents have been proven to change the growth morphology and formation temperature of ice crystals. More new technologies and additive synergies need to be further explored., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

This study aimed to determine the expression levels of the autophagy markers Beclin-1 and p62 in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and explore the association between autophagy and disease prognosis. The expression of Beclin-1 and p62 was investigated in patients with DLBCL and patients with reactive lymphoproliferative disease (RLD) using immunohistochemistry. The association between the clinical characteristics of patients with DLBCL and autophagy status was further analyzed. Beclin-1 levels were increased in RLD patients compared with those with DLBCL, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). p62 levels in DLBCL patients were significantly higher than those in RLD patients (p < 0.05). Beclin-1 expression was associated only with the Ann Arbor stage (p < 0.05), whereas p62 expression was associated with the Ann Arbor stage, IPI score, extranodal involvement, and Ki-67 index (p < 0.05). Beclin-1 and p62 levels were not associated with short-term treatment efficacy in DLBCL patients. Survival analysis showed that Beclin-1 expression had no significant effect on 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) (p > 0.05). However, high p62 expression in DLBCL patients was associated with reduced 2-year PFS compared with that of patients with low p62 expression (p < 0.05); the 2-year OS was not affected (p > 0.05). Our results demonstrate that autophagic activity affects the prognosis of DLBCL patients; the lower the autophagic activity, the shorter the PFS. Targeted p62 knockout may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of DLBCL patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors do not have any conflicts of interest to declare in relation to this work., (Copyright © 2024 International Society for Experimental Hematology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The study of the changes in rheological properties and components during the processing of Chinese traditional handmade hollow dried noodle (HHDN) is essential to explaining the excellent quality of HHDN. The dynamic oscillation frequency sweep, stress relaxation, and uniaxial extension characteristics of the dough after kneading, stretching, and resting were investigated at six sampling points during the processing of HHDN. The result showed that stretching led to an increase in G' and G 0 , and a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in extensibility from 131.02 mm to 57.99 mm. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to observe the microstructure of the gluten network, which was destroyed during stretching and restored during resting. Studies of changes in components showed that the stretching process resulted in a decrease in GMP content from 3.24 (g/100 g) to 3.18 (g/100 g), and the resting process resulted in β-sheets decreasing significantly (P < 0.05). The degree of starch pasting increased significantly (P < 0.05) after stretching. The results of the correlation analysis showed that components changes were highly correlated with the rheological properties during the processing of HHDN., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) is a rare and aggressive hematological malignancy, characterized by myeloproliferative neoplasms, and associated with eosinophilia and T- or B-cell lineage lymphoblastic lymphoma. The pathogenesis is defined by the presence of chromosomal translocations associated with the fibroblast growth factor-1 ( FGFR1 ) gene, located in the 8p11-12.1 chromosomal locus. At present, only ~100 cases have been reported globally. At least 15 partner genes have been identified, including the most common, the zinc finger MYM-type containing 2 ( ZNF198)-FGFR1 fusion gene formed by t(8;13)(p11;q12). Different fusion genes determine the clinical manifestations and prognosis of the disease. Patients with EMS with t(8;13)(p11;q12) commonly present with lymphadenopathy and T-lymphoblastic lymphoma, which usually converts to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with the progression of the disease. The present study describes the case of an elderly female patient with EMS with t(8;13)(p11;q12), presenting with myeloid/lymphoid syndrome (myeloproliferative neoplasms and T lymphoblastic lymphoma). The patient received the CHOPE regimen combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (dasatin) treatment and obtained short-term complete remission. However, 6 months later, the disease progressed from EMS to AML and the patient died due to ineffective induction therapy. The present study also reviews the relevant literature about this unusual entity to enhance the understanding of EMS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Guo et al.)

In this study, the protein structural, foaming, and air-water interfacial properties in dough liquor (DL) ultracentrifugated from buckwheat sourdough with different concentrations of an alkali (1.0-2.5% of sodium bicarbonate) were investigated. Results showed that the alkali led to the cross-linking of protein disulfide bonds through the oxidation of free sulfhydryl groups in DL. The alterations in protein secondary and tertiary structures revealed that the alkali caused the proteins in DL to fold, decreased the hydrophobicity, and led to a less flexible but compact structure. The alkali accelerated the diffusion of proteins and decreased the surface tension of DL. In addition, the alkali notably improved the foam stability by up to 34.08% at 2.5% concentration, mainly by increasing the net charge, reducing the bubble size, and strengthening the viscoelasticity of interfacial protein films. Quantitative proteomic analysis showed that histones and puroindolines of wheat and 13S globulin of buckwheat were closely related to the changes in the alkali-induced foaming properties. This study sheds light on the mechanism of alkali-induced improvement in gas cell stabilization and the buckwheat sourdough steamed bread quality from the aspect of the liquid lamella.

To overcome the problem that takeaway noodles possessed poor immersion resistance, in this study noodles were prepared from post-ripened wheat flour, and changes in textural properties, protein components, and water status of noodles were determined. The firmness and tensile distance of noodles were gradually increased by 7.40%-35.88% when wheat flour was post-ripened for 20-40 d. Afterwards, noodle textural qualities were slightly decreased. Compared with control groups, contents of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) and disulfide bonds were significantly (p<0.05) increased and protein network was also more compact, whereas the Glutenin/Gliadin ratio and free sulfhydryl groups content were significantly (p<0.05) reduced. Contents of sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) were reduced by 3.22%-6.23%. Meanwhile, the decrease in A 23 indicated that wheat flour post-ripening limited water-absorbing capacity of noodles during immersion. In conclusion, wheat flour post-ripening promoted the immersion resistance of noodles by inducing protein cross-linking, and the best post-ripening time was 20-40 d., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the effects of ethanol (0 %∼6%) on the dough mechanical properties and quality characteristics of fresh noodles and elucidated the relationship between the above changes and physicochemical, structural, and molecular properties of gluten. Ethanol reduced the water absorption (from 59.00 % to 52.33 %), stability time (from 8.17 min to 3.33 min) and viscoelasticity of dough, and increased the development time, weakening degree and compliance. Ethanol also decreased the fracture stress of dough sheet, and increased fracture elongation and adhesiveness (from 46.15 g·s to 75.88 g·s). Ethanol decreased the noodles' hardness (from 5347.41 g to 4442.34 g), break force, tensile distance, and water absorption, while cooking loss was increased. SEM and CLSM showed that ethanol destroyed the compactness of internal structure and inhibited the formation of gluten network in noodles. According to the results of SE-HPLC and RP-HPLC, ethanol dissolved part of the gliadin and inhibited the polymerization of protein., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Context: In order to study the relationship between the sensitivity and pressure of energetic materials, six kinds of energetic materials were selected as the research object. The crystal structure, electronic, and phonon properties under hydrostatic pressure of 0 ~ 45 GPa were calculated by first principles. The calculation results show that the lattice parameters and band gap values of these six energetic materials decrease with the increase of pressure. The peak of the density of states decreases and moves to the low energy direction, and the electrons become more active. Meanwhile, the effect of pressure on the sensitivity of the energetic materials is analyzed based on the multi-phonon up-pumping theory. The number of doorway modes and integral of projected phonon density of states under high pressure is calculated. The results show that both of them increase with the increase of pressure. And the smaller the value of the band gap, the larger the number of doorway modes and integral of projected phonon density of states, and the more sensitive the energetic material is., Methods: All calculations are performed using the Materials Studio software based on density functional theory. The Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) functional of the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is used to calculate the exchange correlation function, and the Grimme dispersion correction method is used to deal with the weak intermolecular interaction. The structure of the compound was optimized by BFGS algorithm. The linear response is used to calculate the phonon properties of energetic materials. The plane wave cutoff energy was set to 830 eV. The K-point grids of TATB, FOX-7, TNX, RDX, TNT, and HMX were chosen as 2 × 2 × 2, 2 × 2 × 1, 2 × 1 × 1, 1 × 1 × 1, 1 × 2 × 1, and 2 × 1 × 2., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, black highland barley semi-dried noodles (BHBSNs) were adjusted to acidic pH (5.0, 4.5, 4.0) with an acidity regulator (monosodium fumarate) for obtaining low glycemic index (GI) BHBSNs, and the changes in the in vitro starch digestion, free phenolic content, and α-amylase activity in BHBSNs were investigated. The estimated glycemic index (eGI) of BHBSNs decreased from 59.23 to 52.59, 53.89 and 53.61, respectively, as the pH was adjusted from 6.0 to 5.0, 4.5, 4.0. As the pH of BHBSNs decreased, the equilibrium hydrolysis (C ∞ ) decreased, and kinetic coefficient (k) decreased and then increased. Compared to the control, the pH of the digestive fluid decreased during digestion with decreasing pH, and the α-amylase inhibition of BHBSNs with pH 5.0, 4.5, and 4.0 increased by 56.54 %, 75.18 %, and 107.98 %, respectively. In addition, as the pH of BHBSNs decreased, the free phenolic content and the content of released phenolics during digestion increased. Pearson correlations analysis showed that the increase in α-amylase inhibition and phenolic release during digestion induced by acidic pH was negatively correlated with the eGI and C ∞ of BHBSNs. This study indicated that acidic pH condition could modulate starch digestion for preparing low GI BHBSNs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Highland barley is a type of grain with slow-digesting characteristics. It is worth exploring the impact of non-starch components on starch digestion. In this study, four varieties of highland barley were used to investigate the impacts of endogenous polyphenols (EP) on the relationship between starch structure, physicochemical properties, and the time course digestibility of highland barley noodles. The results showed that EP removal decreased the proportion of long-chain amylopectin and disrupted the crystalline structure, while increasing the short-range ordered structure in the residue. Significant correlations indicated that these structural changes make starch more susceptible to thermal degradation and digestion, causing a 12.60%-52.00% increase in rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and a 12.70%-25.22% decrease in resistant starch (RS). These results revealed the internal factors that affect the slow digestion characteristics of highland barley noodles from the perspective of EP and provide important reference values for a slow digestion diet., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the effects of dough proofing degree (1.1, 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7 mL/g) and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC-Na) on the quality of frozen dough steamed bread (FDSB). As the dough proofing degree was increased from 1.1 to 1.7 mL/g, the specific volume of FDSB initially increased and then decreased, with the maximum at 1.3 mL/g, and then dramatically decreased at 1.5 and 1.7 mL/g, accompanied by a harder texture and secession of crust and crumb, which were the detrimental effects brought by over-proofing. The optimal amount of CMC-Na effectively alleviated the deterioration associated with over-proofing, and the proofing tolerance of FDSB was increased from 1.3 mL/g to 1.7 mL/g. Fermentation analysis showed that CMC-Na significantly improved the extensibility and gas-holding capacity of the dough by increasing the maximum height of the dough (H m ) and the emergence time (T 1 ) of H m . Frequency sweep tests indicated that CMC-Na improved the plasticity of proofed dough by increasing loss factor tan δ. Significant reductions were found in peak viscosity and complex modulus G* in pasting properties tests and temperature sweep measurements, respectively, suggesting that CMC-Na influenced starch gelatinization and dough stiffening during steaming, which promoted the extension of the network structure, thus facilitating gas expansion and diffusion. These property changes theoretically explained the improvement in the proofing tolerance of FDSB by CMC-Na.

Objective: The ultrasonography features of alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) and intramuscular capillary-type hemangiomas (ICTH) were analyzed, and the diagnostic model of ASPS was established. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out. The clinical data of 52 patients [28 males and 24 females, aged (20.7±15.1) years] with pathologically confirmed ASPS and ICTH admitted to People's Hospital of Henan Province from January 2005 to February 2023 were included in the study. According to pathological types, the patients were divided into ASPS group and ICTH group. Clinical data of patients were retrospectively collected, and meaningful indicators in the univariate analysis were included in the regression analysis for screening. After comprehensive consideration of clinical significance and statistical significance, eligible indicators were selected for inclusion in the regression analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen the factors that distinguished the pathological types of ASPS and ICTH, and the diagnostic model was established. The area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of the diagnostic model in distinguishing ASPS from ICTH. Results: There were 20 patients in ASPS group, 10 males and 10 females, aged (26.9±13.5) years, and 32 patients in ICTH group, 18 males and 14 females, aged (16.8±15.0) years. The age difference between the ASPS group and the ICTH group was statistically significant ( P <0.05), and there were statistically significant differences in the ultrasound imaging features of "clear boundary" "peripheral lobe" "thin blood vessels inside the lesion are straight and out of shape" "intra-lesion liquification" "peripheral thick blood vessels" and "peripheral muscle fiber disruption" between the two groups (all P <0.001).Variables with clinical and statistical significance were selected as independent variables. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that peripheral muscle fiber interruption ( OR =97.358, 95% CI :6.833-1 387.249) and internal thin blood vessels were flat and out of shape ( OR =0.052, 95% CI :0.003-0.921) was the correlation factor to distinguish the pathological types of ASPS and ICTH. Two ultrasonic image features of "peripheral muscle fiber interruption" and "internal thin blood vessels are straight and out of shape" were used to establish the diagnostic model. The sensitivity of "peripheral muscle fiber interruption" diagnostic model was 81.3%, and the specificity was 95.0%. The AUC was 0.811(95% CI : 0.761-0.954). The sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the diagnosis model of "internal thin vessels with flat misshape" were 90.0%, 96.9% and 0.934(95% CI : 0.830-0.984). The sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the combined diagnosis model of "peripheral muscle fiber interruption" and "internal thin blood vessel straight out of shape" were 96.9%, 90.0% and 0.974(95% CI :0.877-0.999). Conclusion: Ultrasonography can be used to distinguish ASPS from ICTH, and the combined diagnostic model based on the two ultrasonic imaging features of "peripheral muscle fiber interruption" and "internal thin blood vessel straight out of shape" can further improve the diagnostic efficiency.

Objective: To investigate the value of ultrasonography as a diagnostic aid in differentiating intramuscular capillary-type hemangioma (ICTH) from fibro-adipose vascular anomaly (FAVA)., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the clinical and ultrasound imaging data of 20 patients with ICTH and 45 patients with FAVA who were admitted to and pathologically confirmed in hospital between January 2013 and April 2023. The clinical and ultrasonographic appearances of the lesions in the two groups were compared and analyzed. A stepwise regression analysis was performed, and a joint diagnostic equation was constructed using the final variables selected. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and indicators, including sensitivity and specificity, were used to evaluate the efficacy of the joint diagnostic model., Results: The two groups of patients suffering from ICTH and FAVA presented a statistically significant difference ( P< 0.05) in terms of 'age', 'lesion size', 'fascial tail sign', 'presence of a fatty-tissue-like hyperecho around the lesion', 'blood flow' and 'presence of straight blood capillaries within the lesion'. Finally, the variables 'fascial tail sign' and 'presence of straight blood capillaries within the lesion' were selected to construct the model. The constructed joint diagnostic model had a sensitivity value of 70.0% (95% CI: 59.00-81.00), a specificity value of 98.0% (95% CI: 94.70-100.00) and a ROC curve value of 0.908, indicating the high efficacy of the combined diagnosis method., Conclusions: Ultrasonography can be utilized to differentiate ICTH from FAVA, and the combined diagnosis method can further improve the technique's diagnostic efficacy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Hu, Li, Fan, Gong, Guo, Dong, Fan, Yang and Wu.)

The high sensitivity to color browning during room-temperature storage was a significant factor in limiting the development of fresh spinach noodles (FSN). The practice of humidity-controlled heat treatment (HCHT) at varying temperatures, relative humidity, and time was carried out to limit enzyme activity and improve the quality of FSN. Results showed that HCHT could maximize the color preservation of fresh spinach noodle quality while effectively inactivating polyphenol oxidase and the yeasts, and mold count in FSN during storage was almost undetectable after mild conditions (80 °C). The hardness and chewiness of HCHT noodles were significantly increased, but the free sulfhydryl content was reduced. At 80 °C, 90 %, 5 min, protein structural aggregation was found in the microstructure of HCHT fresh spinach noodles. HCHT also caused partial gelatinization, as evidenced by the decrease in starch gelatinization enthalpy from 5.49 to 4.77 J/g, although the gelatinization degree of FSN was comparatively low., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have the function of promoting water absorption for the host plant, whereas the role of easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), an N-linked glycoprotein secreted by AMF hyphae and spores, is unexplored for citrus plants. In this study, the effects on plant growth performance, root system characteristics, and leaf water status, along with the changes of mineral element content and relative expressions of tonoplast intrinsic protein ( TIP ) genes in lemon ( Citrus limon L.) seedlings, were investigated under varying strengths of exogenous EE-GRSP application under potted conditions. The results showed that 1/2, 3/4, and full-strength exogenous EE-GRSP significantly promoted plant growth performance, as well as increased the biomass and root system architecture traits including root surface area, volume, taproot length, and lateral root numbers of lemon seedlings. The four different strengths of exogenous GRSP displayed differential effects on mineral element content: notably increased the content of phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) in both leaves and roots, as well as magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) content in the roots, but dramatically decreased the content of calcium (Ca) and manganese (Mn) in the roots, as well as Zn and Mn in the leaves. Exogenous EE-GRSP improved leaf water status, manifesting as decreases in leaf water potential, which was associated with the upregulated expressions of tonoplast intrinsic proteins ( TIPs ), including ClTIP1;1 , ClTIP1;2 , ClTIP1;3 , ClTIP2;1 , ClTIP2;2 , ClTIP4;1 , and ClTIP5;1 both in leaves and roots, and TIPs expressions exhibited diverse responses to EE-GRSP application. It was concluded that exogenous EE-GRSP exhibited differential responses on plant growth performance, which was related to its strength, and the effects were associated with nutrient concentration and root morphology, especially in the improvement in water status related to TIPs expressions. Therefore, EE-GRSP can be used as a biological promoter in plant cultivation, especially in citrus.

The effect and mechanism of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymatic browning in yellow alkaline noodles (YAN) were investigated. The browning degree and PPO activity in YAN or PPO solutions decreased with the SHMP concentrations increased. Variations in pH values (pH 7-8.5) adjusted by HCl or acetic acid slightly affected the PPO activity, but SHMP inhibited PPO activity more pronounced. The inhibition of SHMP on PPO activity was irreversible. SHMP formed coordinate covalent bonds with Cu 2+ to make PPO inactive. HPLC analysis revealed that SHMP reduced the browning products and led to the color of PPO-catechol systems being lightened. Furthermore, SHMP inhibited browning by hampering the auto-oxidization of intermediate products due to the change in pH value. Besides, the HPLC chromatogram, UV-vis spectrum, and mass spectrometry revealed that SHMP could convert melanin (m/z 248.97, 723.5, and 836.58) to light-colored substances (m/z 137.11)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the expression profile of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and explore their potential mechanism of action., Methods: The gene expression profiles (GSE153555, GSE148219, GSE199718) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and FastQC was run for quality control checks. After filtering and classifying candidate lncRNAs by differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and weighted co-expression networks (WGCNA) in GSE153555, we predicted the potential cis- or trans-regulatory target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) by using FEELnc and established the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network by miRanda, more over functional enrichment was analyzed using the ClusterProfiler package in R Bioconductor. The hub cis- or trans-regulatory genes were verified in GSE148219 and GSE199718 respectively., Results: There were 340 up-regulated lncRNAs identified in AS group compared with the control group (|log 2 Fold Change| ≥ 1.0 and P adj ≤ 0.05), and 460 down-regulated lncRNAs. Based on target gene prediction and co-expression network construction, twelve Long non-coding RNAs (CDKN2B-AS1, AC244453.2, APCDD1L-DT, SLC12A5-AS1, TGFB3, AC243829.4, MIR4435-2HG, FAM225A, BHLHE40-AS1, LINC01614, AL356417.2, LINC01150) were identified as the hub cis- or trans-regulatory genes in the pathogenesis of CAVD which were validated in GSE148219 and GSE19971. Additionally, we found that MIR4435-2HG was the top hub trans-acting lncRNA which also plays a crucial role by ceRNA pattern., Conclusion: LncRNAs may play an important role in CAVD and may provide a new perspective on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. Further studies are required to illuminate the underlying mechanisms and provide potential therapeutic targets., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this study, the effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on the microbial stability and quality properties of fresh wet noodles were evaluated. The addition of COS prolonged the shelf-life of fresh wet noodles at 4 °C by 3-6 days and effectively inhibited the growth of acidity value. However, the presence of COS increased the cooking loss of noodles significantly (P < 0.05) and decreased the hardness as well as tensile strength significantly (P < 0.05). The enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH) was decreased by COS in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Meanwhile, the addition of COS decreased the relative crystallinity of starch (from 24.93 % to 22.38 %) without changing the type of X-ray diffraction pattern, revealing that COS weakened the structural stability of starch. In addition, COS was observed to impair the development of compact gluten network by confocal laser scanning micrographs. Further, the free-sulfhydryl groups content and sodium dodecyl sulphate-extractable protein (SDS-EP) values of cooked noodles increased significant (P < 0.05), confirming the obstruction on the polymerization of gluten proteins during the hydrothermal process. Although COS adversely affected the quality of noodles, it was outstanding and feasible for the preservation of fresh wet noodles., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sorbitol is commonly used in semi-dried noodles for holding water, thus extending the shelf life. This research analyzed the effect of sorbitol on the in vitro starch digestibility in semi-dried black highland barley noodles (SBHBN). In vitro starch digestion revealed that the hydrolysis extent and digestive rate decreased with increasing sorbitol addition, although its inhibition abated when added >2 %. Compared with the control, adding 2 % of sorbitol lowered the equilibrium hydrolysis (C ∞ ) significantly (P < 0.05) from 75.18 to 66.57 % and decreased the kinetic coefficient (k) significantly (P < 0.05) by 20.29 %. Adding sorbitol increased the tightness of microstructure, relative crystallinity, V-type crystal, molecular structure order, and hydrogen bond strength of starch in cooked SBHBN. Meanwhile, gelatinization enthalpy change (ΔH) of starch in raw SBHBN was increased by adding sorbitol. In addition, the swelling power and amylose leaching in SBHBN added with sorbitol were reduced. Pearson correlations analysis observed significant (P < 0.05) correlations among short-range ordered structure, ΔH, and related in vitro starch digestion indexes of SBHBN after being added with sorbitol. These results revealed that sorbitol might form hydrogen bonds with starch, making it a potential additive to lower the eGI in starchy foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Yippee-like 2 (YPEL2) is expressed in tissues and organs enriched in vascular networks, such as heart, kidney, and lung. However, the roles of YPEL2 in endothelial cell senescence and the expression of YPEL2 in atherosclerotic plaques have not yet been investigated. Here, we report the essential role of YPEL2 in promoting senescence in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the upregulation of YPEL2 in human atherosclerotic plaques. YPEL2 was significantly upregulated in both H 2 O 2 -induced senescent HUVECs and the arteries of aged mice. Endothelial YPEL2 deficiency significantly decreased H 2 O 2 -increased senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity and reversed H 2 O 2 -inhibited cell viability. Additionally, endothelial YPEL2 knockdown reduced H 2 O 2 -promoted THP-1 cell adhesion to HUVECs and downregulated ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression. Mechanistic studies divulged that the p53/p21 pathway was involved in YPEL2-induced cellular senescence. We conclude that YPEL2 promotes cellular senescence via the p53/p21 pathway and that YPEL2 expression is elevated in atherosclerosis. These findings reveal YPEL2 as a potential therapeutic target in aging-associated diseases., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the heat-induced interactions between wheat and buckwheat proteins by heating wheat proteins, buckwheat albumin, globulin, and mixtures of wheat flour with buckwheat albumin/globulin at 50, 65, 80, 95, and 100 °C. The results showed that the cross-linking reactions of wheat glutenin with buckwheat albumin and globulin initiated at 80 and 95 °C, respectively. Buckwheat albumin decreased the extractability of α-gliadin by 35 % at 95 °C and 5.9 % at 100 °C. The linkage of buckwheat globulin to wheat glutelin prevented part of the wheat gliadin from linking to glutelin, resulting in the extractability of α- and γ-gliadin increased by 8.6 % and 11 % at 95 °C, respectively. The chemical forces results indicated that interactions between wheat and buckwheat proteins were primarily driven by disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a theoretical basis for better regulating the wheat-buckwheat protein network to improve the quality of buckwheat-enriched products., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the effect of endometriosis (EM) on reproductive outcomes of young patient with EM after laparoscopic treatment in the first in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycle. Methods: The clinical data and reproductive outcomes of 394 infertile patients with EM after laparoscopic treatment (EM group) and 3 242 infertile patients caused by gamete transport disorder (control group) in the first IVF-ET cycle were collected in Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children from January 2016 to June 2021. The information included baseline characteristics, oocyte retrieval, embryo development, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth. Propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to perform 1∶2 matching between EM group and control group. The impact of EM on reproductive outcomes was analyzed in the retrospective observational study. Results: In the initial data, compared with control group, the number of two pronucleus (2PN) zygotes (9.7±4.8 vs 9.0±4.4), the number of transferable embryos (6.2±3.6 vs 5.5±3.4) and the rate of transferable embryos (64.0% vs 60.8%) on the third day were significantly lower in EM group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P <0.05). After PSM was performed, there were 394 and 787 cases in EM group and control group, respectively. Compared with control group, the number of 2PN zygotes (9.7±4.9 vs 9.0±4.4), the 2PN fertility rate (77.1% vs 75.3%), the number of transferable embryos on the third day (6.2±3.6 vs 5.5±3.4), the transferable embryos rate on the third day (63.8% vs 60.8%) were significantly lower in EM group, and the differences were statically significant (all P <0.05). The study did not find the effect of EM on embryo implantation rate, pregnancy rate, early miscarriage rate, live birth rate and preterm birth rate (all P >0.05). Conclusions: EM might interfere with the development of oocytes and embryos. Obtaining top-quality embryos may be an effective way to improve the prognosis of patients with EM after laparoscopic treatment.

Thermal processing has been applied to the property modification of the pure Tibetan Qingke (TQ) starch, but few studies attempt to elucidate the changes in physicochemical properties of in-kernel starches under whole TQ kernels thermal processing. In this study, the molecular, structural, and digestive characteristics of SUTQ, SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ (starches isolated from unprocessed, heat fluidized, microwave irradiated, and baked TQ, respectively) were measured to elucidate the effects of different thermal treatments on the in-kernel starch. After TQ thermal treatments, the amylose/amylopectin ratio increased to 0.71, 0.64, and 0.68 for SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ, respectively, while the molecular weight of in-kernel starches decreased by 39.29 %-82.14 %. Furthermore, the damage degree of starch surface morphology ranked as: SHTQ > SBTQ > SMTQ. The entanglement action between protein network resulting from protein polymerization and gelatinized starch aggregations exhibited most obvious in SHTQ. Moreover, the increased fluorescence intensity, newly formed dark color rings, and disrupted Maltese cross were observed in SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ, and their variation trends were consistent with the damage degree of starch surface morphology. SHTQ, SMTQ, and SBTQ showed the decreased relative crystallinity (1.79 %, 15.98 %, and 14.64 %), short-range order (0.64, 0.81, and 0.80), and double helix structures (0.48, 0.61, and 0.58) and increased degree of gelatinization (100 %, 38 %, and 45.51 %), which partially transformed slowly digested starch into rapidly digested starch. In particularly, the formation of more ordered structures (V-type crystalline and interaction between protein and starch) induced by heat fluidization treatment provided the greatest thermal stability and highest resistant starch content (42.1 %) for SHTQ. Heat fluidization was a promising thermal processing for the development of TQ or TQ starch-based functional foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present work, the Pickering emulsions with enhanced oxidation stability were fabricated using gliadin (G)/arabinoxylan nanoparticles (GANPs). The influence of different G/AX ratios on the properties of GANPs and corresponding physicochemical characteristics of Pickering emulsions were investigated. Results indicated that the droplet size and ζ-potential of Pickering emulsions declined with the decrease of G/AX ratios. Pickering emulsion with the smallest G/AX ratio (1:4) exhibited excellent oxidative and coalescence stability due to the formation of viscoelastic gel network, which was supported by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images. Furthermore, the increase of salt ions in a lower concentration (0-0.2 M) was conducive to the flocculation of the droplets, while further increasing the NaCl concentration impaired the emulsion stability. Such elements revealed that G/AX complex is a promising stabilizer of Pickering emulsions with prominent antioxidant activity, which have favorable potential applications in protecting the functional properties of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Direct C Ar -F arylation is effective and sustainable for synthesis of polyfluorobiaryls with different degrees of fluorination, which are important motifs in medical and material chemistry. However, with no aid of transition metals, the engagement of C Ar -F bond activation has proved difficult. Herein, an unprecedented transition-metal-free strategy is reported for site-selective C Ar -F arylation of polyfluoroarenes with simple (het)arenes. By merging N , N -bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)perylene-3,4,9,10-bis(dicarboximide)-catalyzed electrophotocatalytic reduction and anodic nitroxyl radical oxidation in an electrophotocatalytic cell, various polyfluoroaromatics (2F-6F and 8F), especially inactive partially fluorinated aromatics, undergo sacrificial-reagents-free C-F bond arylation with high regioselectivity, and the yields are comparable to those for reported transition-metal catalysis. This atom- and step-economic protocol features a paired electrocatalysis with organic mediators in both cathodic and anodic processes. The broad substrate scope and good functional-group compatibility highlight the merits of this operationally simple strategy. Moreover, the easy gram-scale synthesis and late-stage functionalization collectively advocate for the practical value, which would promote the vigorous development of fluorine chemistry.

Background: α-1,6 Fucosyltransferase (FUT8) appears to play an essential role in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. However, it remained unknown whether FUT8 also contributed to renal fibrosis in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). In the present study, we explored the association of serum FUT8 activity with renal tubulointerstitial injury in IgAN patients., Methods: Serum FUT8 activity was measured in 135 IgAN patients and 68 healthy controls from January 2016 to December 2018. The relationships of serum FUT8 activity with clinical and pathological features were analyzed., Results: Relative to healthy controls, IgAN patients had significantly higher serum FUT8 activity and upregulation of renal FUT8 protein (p < .05). Among IgAN patients, there was a positive correlation of serum FUT8 activity with renal FUT8 protein expression (p < .05). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that serum FUT8 activity was significantly associated with serum creatinine and eGFR (p < .05). Based on a cut-off value determined from ROC curve analysis, we divided IgAN patients into a low serum FUT8 activity group (≤12.2 pmol/h/mL, n = 40) and a high serum FUT8 activity group (>12.2 pmol/h/ml, n = 95). The high serum FUT8 activity group had a higher Oxford T score, increased inflammatory cell infiltration, more severe fibrosis and poor renal function (p < .05)., Conclusion: Serum FUT8 activity was positive association with renal tubulointerstitial injury in IgAN patients., (© 2022 The Authors. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The effects of freeze-thaw cycles (0-8) on the quality of frozen raw noodles (FRN) were investigated. Three types of wheat flour with different protein contents were used to prepare FRN. Freeze-thaw treatment decreased the break force and increased the tensile distance of FRN with higher protein content. More mobile water and less compact microstructure were detected in FRN. Freeze-thaw cycles exerted negative effects on the cooking and texture performance of FRN indicated by increases in the cooking loss (CL) and broken noodle (BN) percentage and decreases in the hardness and chewiness. After four freeze-thaw cycles, FRN with lower protein content exhibited higher CL and BN ratios and less chewiness. The tensile distance and peak force of the gluten isolated from FRN decreased during freeze-thaw cycles, which caused the quality deterioration of FRN. FRN with higher protein content and greater gluten strength demonstrated better resistance to the freeze-thaw treatment., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The impact of freeze-thaw cycles on the physicochemical properties and frying performance of frozen Youtiao dough with chemical leavening agent was investigated. The specific volume of Youtiao made from frozen dough decreased by 66% after 4 freeze-thaw cycles. Meanwhile, the hardness and puncture force showed increasing trends, and the fibrous structure became unclear. The extensibility, storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') of frozen Youtiao dough decreased during freeze-thaw cycles, while the creep compliance increased. Changes in rheological properties demonstrated that frozen Youtiao dough was more deformable and its strength was weakened. Moreover, the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) extractable protein and free sulfhydryl content increased, revealing that protein was depolymerized. The loose structure with large pores and fractured protein network were observed by micromorphology. Freeze-thaw cycles had a detrimental effect on the Youtiao quality, which was related to the deterioration of rheological properties and protein structure of frozen Youtiao dough., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effect of four types of phosphate salts (PS) on the shelf-life and quality characteristics of semi-dried noodles, as well as their underlying mechanism were investigated. Microbial analysis showed 0.2% or 0.4% sodium dihydrogen phosphate (MSP) extended the shelf-life of noodles from 3 days to 5 days. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed PS decreased the mobility of free water in noodles. Cooking and texture analysis showed sodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) increased the cooking loss of noodles, and MSP decreased the tensile force of noodles. Sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), TSPP, and MSP increased the hardness of noodles, while sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) decreased the hardness. Thermal properties analysis indicated STPP and TSPP increased the gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) of starch in noodles, while SHMP and MSP decreased the ΔH. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed SHMP, STPP, and MSP strengthened the gluten network formation, while TSPP weakened the network., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antimicrobial polycationic peptide ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) enhanced the freeze-thaw tolerance of industrial yeast; the enhancement mechanism of ε-PL on yeast was studied. Results showed that a ε-PL coating was observed in ε-PL-treated yeast. After 4 times of freeze-thaw, the cell viability, glycerol content, and CO 2 production of 0.6 mg/mL ε-PL-treated yeast were higher than those of untreated yeast, specifically, the cell viability of ε-PL-treated yeast was 87.6%, and that of untreated yeast was 68.5%. Metabolomic results showed that the enhancement mechanism of ε-PL on yeast was related to the promotion of cell membrane-related fatty acid synthesis pathways before freeze-thaw treatment, and the promotion of trehalose biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways after freeze-thaw. Furthermore, ε-PL induced inhibition of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, resulting in a longer stationary phase at the beginning of the freeze-thaw and ultimately providing a higher level of freeze-thaw stress tolerance than untreated yeast., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Copper is an essential trace element for living organisms. Copper enriched by yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regarded as the biologically available organic copper supplement with great potentiality for application. However, the lower uptake ratio of copper ions makes the production of copper enriched by yeast uneconomically and environmentally unfriendly. In this study, S. cerevisiae Cu-5 with higher copper tolerance and intracellular copper accumulation was obtained by screening of our yeast strains collection. To increase the uptake ratio of copper ions, the medium composition and cultivation conditions for strain Cu-5 were optimized systematically. A medium comprised of glucose, yeast extract, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , and inorganic salts was determined, then a novel cultivation strategy including pH control at 5.5 and increasing amounts of yeast extract for a higher concentration of copper ion in the medium was developed. The uptake ratios of copper ions were more than 90% after combining 50 to 100 mg/L copper ions with 3.5 to 5.0 g/L yeast extract, which is the highest until now and is conducive to the cost-effective and environmentally friendly production of bioactive copper in yeast-enriched form., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is the most common type of paroxysmal dyskinesias. Only one-third of PKD patients are attributed to proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) mutations., Objective: We aimed to explore the potential causative gene for PKD., Methods: A cohort of 196 PRRT2-negative PKD probands were enrolled for whole-exome sequencing (WES). Gene Ranking, Identification and Prediction Tool, a method of case-control analysis, was applied to identify the candidate genes. Another 325 PRRT2-negative PKD probands were subsequently screened with Sanger sequencing., Results: Transmembrane Protein 151 (TMEM151A) variants were mainly clustered in PKD patients compared with the control groups. 24 heterozygous variants were detected in 25 of 521 probands (frequency = 4.80%), including 18 missense and 6 nonsense mutations. In 29 patients with TMEM151A variants, the ratio of male to female was 2.63:1 and the mean age of onset was 12.93 ± 3.15 years. Compared with PRRT2 mutation carriers, TMEM151A-related PKD were more common in sporadic PKD patients with pure phenotype. There was no significant difference in types of attack and treatment outcome between TMEM151A-positive and PRRT2-positive groups., Conclusions: We consolidated mutations in TMEM151A causing PKD with the aid of case-control analysis of a large-scale WES data, which broadens the genotypic spectrum of PKD. TMEM151A-related PKD were more common in sporadic cases and tended to present as pure phenotype with a late onset. Extensive functional studies are needed to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of TMEM151A-related PKD. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society., (© 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.)

The effect of egg white protein addition on the fibrous structure and protein aggregation of textured wheat gluten (TWG) extrudates was investigated. The hardness, springiness, chewiness, and degree of texturization of TWG significantly increased with the addition of egg white protein. Analysis of morphological characteristics showed a positive effect of egg white protein on the formation of the fibrous structure of TWG. The results of size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) indicated that the egg white protein improved the degree of wheat gluten aggregation, and the analysis of the protein intermolecular forces proved that disulfide bonds were the main contributor to the cross-linking of protein. In addition, an increase in the β-sheets also indicated an increase in protein aggregation induced by egg white protein. The addition of egg white protein promoted protein interactions and improved the fibrous structure of TWG., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To reduce the rehydration time and improve the quality of textured wheat gluten (TWG), the effects of steam pretreatment and water temperature (45 °C, 65 °C, and 85 °C) on the rehydration of TWG were investigated. Four different models were used to describe the rehydration kinetics: Peleg, Weibull, first-order, and exponential association models, with the Weibull model found to give the best fit. High temperature induced deterioration of textural properties and oral processing behavior and increased the rehydration loss ratio, while steam pretreatment reduced these negative changes. Morphological results showed that the surface and cross-sectional structure were conducive to water diffusion with steam pretreatment. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared thermal results indicated that steam pretreatment promoted the diffusion of water and reduced the time required to reach thermal equilibrium. This work provides a fast rehydration method for TWG to help in the future production of high-quality meat analogues., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Activation and migration of donor T cells to the host target organs are critical mechanisms in the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The role of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) and its receptor CCR2 in the recruitment of T cells during immune or inflammatory response is also well known. For elucidation of the mechanism of the therapeutic effect of human bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in GVHD, we studied the effect of these cells on migration of activated donor T cells through the CCL2-CCR2 axis in vitro. MSC were expanded from donors' bone marrow mononuclear cells. After co-culturing of IL-2-activated T cells with allogeneic MSC at different ratios, the levels of CCL2 in supernatants were measured by ELISA, and CCR2 expression in CD4 + /CD8 + T cells subsets were detected by flow cytometry. The effect of MSC on the migration of activated T cells in the Transwell system was studied in the absence or presence of CCL2. Our results show that CCL2 levels in supernatants of co-cultures were significantly higher than in MSC monoculture and this increase depended on the number of MSC. MSC inhibited proliferation of T cells, but did not change the percentages of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells subsets. MSC can up-regulate the CCR2 expression in CD8 + subsets rather than in CD4 + subsets; MSC enhanced migration of IL-2-activated T cells to CCL2 by increasing the expression of CCR2. The data demonstrate that MSC can enhance chemotaxis of cytokine-activated T cells through the CCL2-CCR2 axis in vitro., (© 2021. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The effects of insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) and ferulic acid (FA) on steamed bread quality and gluten aggregation properties were investigated. IDF and FA increased the hardness and decreased the specific volume of steamed bread, except for 0.3 g of FA. Compared to the control sample, the hardness of steamed bread with 0.3 g of FA decreased by 36%, and the specific volume increased by 10.91%. FA promoted gluten aggregation through a cross-linking reaction because the sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein (SDSEP) of gluten with 1.8 g of FA decreased by 61.32% compared to the control sample under non-reducing condition. The ζ-potential of gluten during the proofing and steaming stages decreased by 46.64% and 68.10% with the increase in IDF, which showed that IDF promoted gluten aggregation by reducing the electrostatic repulsion. Gluten aggregation caused by IDF and FA could be the main reason for steamed bread deterioration., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the effect of superheated steam treatment (SST) on lipid stability of whole wheat flour (WWF) during storage. After SST, the lipase and peroxidase of WWF were inactivated, and lipoxygenase activity was lower than 5% of its initial value. The total tocopherols decreased slightly in all SST groups, especially it only decreased by 1.1% at 190 °C for 5 s. Furthermore, the increase of fatty acid value in the control group was over 100-fold than that of the SST groups during storage. The unsaturated fatty acids and total tocopherols in WWF decreased gradually, but the decrease was alleviated by SST at 190 °C for 5 s. After storage, the relative content of hexanal and 2-pentylfuran in the SST groups were 4 and 0.3-fold than those in the control group, respectively. Thus, SST may be a potential approach to stabilise the quality of WWF., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Extruded starch could be used as a thickener for food processing due to its pre-gel properties. This study aimed to explore the influence of the addition of extruded endogenous Tartary buckwheat starch (ES) on the process and quality of gluten-free noodles. ES was mixed with Tartary buckwheat flour in different proportions (10-40%) to prepare the blended flour and noodles. When the content of ES was increased, the swelling power of blended flour at 90 °C had no significant changes, and the decrease in peak viscosity of blended flour was reduced. This indicated that the high-content ES could afford better thermal stability for blended flour and inhibit the swelling ability. The higher level of ES was beneficial to the formation and stabilization of dough, and the improvement of noodle tensile strength. Furthermore, there was no difference in cooking loss between noodles with 30% and 40% ES addition. The microstructure and water distribution of the noodles prepared by blended flour indicated that the gel-entrapped structure organized by the higher content ES could be closely related to the above results. In conclusion, higher ES could contribute to improving the processing properties and quality of noodles.

ε-poly-L-lysine treated yeast (PTY) helps to enhance the freeze-thaw tolerance of frozen dough. This study explored the effect of PTY on the aggregation and the gas-retention of frozen dough after steaming for 2, 5, 10, and 20 min. Gas-cell images showed that PTY reduced the loss of gas-retention ability caused by 4 times of freeze-thaw. The results of sodium dodecyl sulfate extractability and subunit distribution of gluten showed that, after the same heat time, frozen dough with PTY has higher degree of covalent crosslinking with better aggregation ability of α-, γ-gliadin, and low molecular weight glutenin subunits than frozen dough with yeast. Chemical analysis and chain morphology results demonstrated that the levels of acidity, NH 2 , and free sulfhydryl in dough were decreased, and the protein molecules aggregated into longer chains when using PTY instead of yeast, indicating that PTY reduced acid-mediated hydrolysis and increased the disulfide bonds-mediated gluten polymerization., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the influence of NaHCO 3 on the water state, gluten polymerization, microstructure and quality of frozen steamed bread dough during freeze-thaw cycles. Results showed that the steamed bread made from alkaline (0.4% NaHCO 3 ) frozen dough possessed a larger specific volume and smaller hardness after 4 freeze-thaw cycles, than the non-alkaline dough group. The addition of NaHCO 3 slowed the increase of freezable water content and water mobility of dough during freeze-thaw cycles, and the high amount of NaHCO 3 (0.4%-1%) showed the great effect. Compared with non-alkaline dough, the sodium dodecyl sulfate extractable protein proportion and free sulfhydryl level of alkaline dough increased less after freeze-thaw cycles, indicating a strengthened freeze-thaw tolerance of alkaline dough. Based on microstructure image and corresponding protein network analysis (PNA) results, the protein area and total protein length in alkaline dough remained at a higher level than non-alkaline group after 4 freeze-thaw cycles., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hypocotyl phototropism is mediated by the phototropins and plays a critical role in seedling morphogenesis by optimizing growth orientation. However, the mechanisms by which phototropism influences morphogenesis require additional study, especially for polyploid crops such as cotton. Here, we found that hypocotyl phototropism was weaker in Gossypium arboreum than in G. raimondii (two diploid cotton species), and LC-MS analysis indicated that G. arboreum hypocotyls had a higher content of abscisic acid (ABA) and a lower content of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and bioactive gibberellins (GAs). Consistently, the expression of ABA2, AAO3, and GA2OX1 was higher in G. arboreum than in G. raimondii, and that of GA3OX was lower; these changes promoted ABA synthesis and the transformation of active GA to inactive GA. Higher concentrations of ABA inhibited the asymmetric distribution of IAA across the hypocotyl and blocked the phototropic curvature of G. raimondii. Application of IAA or GA3 to the shaded and illuminated sides of the hypocotyl enhanced and inhibited phototropic curvature, respectively, in G. arboreum. The application of IAA, but not GA, to one side of the hypocotyl caused hypocotyl curvature in the dark. These results indicate that the asymmetric distribution of IAA promotes phototropic growth, and the weakened phototropic curvature of G. arboreum may be attributed to its higher ABA concentrations that inhibit the action of auxin, which is regulated by GA signaling., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The lack of gluten in Tartary buckwheat has always been the main limiting factor of their development. This paper explored how to improve the processing quality of gluten-free Tartary buckwheat noodles (GF-TBNs) by introducing extruded starch into Tartary buckwheat flour (TBF) and the underlying mechanism was also elucidated. Extruded Tartary buckwheat starch (ETBS) was obtained under different extrusion conditions. The thermal properties, molecular weight, and viscosity of ETBS were examined to determine the key parameters closely related to the water distribution and rheological properties of the dough sheet, and tensile properties of GF-TBNs. The results showed that ETBS with a low molecular weight and high viscosity contributed greatly to the GF-TBNs with good tensile properties. It is proposed that ETBS with a low molecular weight and high viscosity might form a gel-entrapped network inside GF-TBNs, which was confirmed by the morphology of GF-TBNs., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the changes of lipids during the industrial preparation of noodle dough and dried noodles, including the hydration, sheeting, and drying processes. The results showed that industrial processing markedly influenced the stability of lipids during the preparation of dried noodles. The contents of total free fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and free lipids were reduced, while peroxide values increased during the hydration and sheeting processes, showing the instability of lipids. The increase in lipid oxidation may have been due to the activation of lipoxygenase. Although its activity declined by 45.7% in the hydration process compared to that of the native wheat flour (198.5 ± 20.4 U/g/min), the residue activity should have been high enough to oxidize lipids. Interestingly, lipase activity remained relatively stable. In addition, an obvious increase of carbon-centered free radicals was observed during the entire processing. In conclusion, the industrial processing, especially the hydration process, markedly changed the lipid profile and promoted lipid oxidation during the preparation of dried noodles. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The present study showed the positive relationship between endogenous lipid degrading enzymes and the degradation of lipids and elucidated the role of industrial processing on lipid stability in noodle dough and dried noodles. The results of the present study will also help us to understand more about the sensory quality of dried noodles during preparation, as well as to develop high quality of wheat-based food products., (© 2021 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The interaction between 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin [1,25(OH)2D3] and vitamin D receptor (VDR) plays a critical role in regulating cell proliferation and programmed cell death. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in combination with arsenic trioxide (As 2 O 3 ) on the proliferation and cell cycle of a K562 leukemia cell line. K562 cells were treated with 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3, 2.5 µM As 2 O 3 , and 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3 combined with 2.5 µM As 2 O 3 . Cell proliferation was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt/phenazine ethosulfate method. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The expression levels of genes associated with the cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting analyses. The present findings indicated that combined treatment of 1,25(OH)2D3 and As 2 O 3 led to a significant increase in cytotoxicity, apoptotic cell death and G 1 cell cycle arrest when compared to those treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 or As 2 O 3 alone. The downregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and decreased survivin expression may be involved in combined treatment-mediated apoptosis. G 0 /G 1 cell cycle arrest induced by combined treatment was associated with the activation of p21 and p27. In addition, the increased expression of VDR was found to participate in the anticancer effect of combination treatment. The data suggested that the combination of 1, 25-(OH) 2 D 3 and As 2 O 3 had clear synergistic effects on the inhibition of K562 cell proliferation, which could provide a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © Zhang et al.)

Dried whole wheat noodles (DWWN) are a kind of nutritious convenience food with broad market prospects. However, due to the presence of high content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) and lipid degrading enzymes, the shelf life and edible quality of DWWN are easily affected. This study explored the effect of superheated steam treatment (SST-155 °C-10 s, SST-170 °C-10 s, SST-190 °C-5 s) on the lipid stability of DWWN. The lipase, lipoxygenase and peroxidase of the DWWN treated with superheated steam were completely passivated during storage. After 12 weeks of storage, the fatty acid value of DWWN increased by 35.1, 17.9, 15.9, 24.6 mg NaOH/100 g in the groups of control, SST-155 °C-10 s, SST-170 °C-10 s, SST-190 °C-5 s, respectively; whereas the content of UFAs decreased by 13.5%, 6.8%, 5.4%, and 2.7%, respectively. The content of 2-pentylfuran in the SST-155 °C-10 s, SST-170 °C-10 s, SST-190 °C-5 s group was 0.7, 0.6, and 0.4-fold than that of the control group, respectively. In addition, the total tocopherol and total volatile compounds of the SST-190 °C-5 s group were 2.4 and 0.7-fold than that of the control group, respectively. Therefore, SST should be a new technology that can improve the lipid stability of DWWN.